This coming Monday March 9th is the one year anniversary of the day I first posted the first two chapters of 'Whatever Happens Here' and so in celebration of that I have the first WHH one shot for you all!
This one shot is an accompanying fanfic to my fanfiction 'Whatever Happens Here.' This takes place about five and a half years after part two of the epilogue. The majority of this is told in Katniss and Peeta's daughter Liliana's POV but there is a smaller section towards the end, after the break, which is told in Peeta's POV.
While it may be possible to read this without having read the entire fanfic first, I wouldn't read this first if you ever plan to read the fanfic in the future as it will spoil the main story for you.
You can find me on tumblr and twitter as cchester1985 and I welcome PM's too. If you are one of my readers let me know and I'll follow you back! I will always make announcements about any future one-shots I will be writing in the WHH universe and any other fanfics I will write in the future on those sites.
All credit goes to Suzanne Collins. These are her characters and the world of The Hunger Games belongs to her.
**VERY IMPORTANT**
In this chapter there are consequences of war. War is not pleasant or peaceful. There isn't anything real gory or graphic in this fanfic but there is war injuries mentioned. There may also be a few things altered slightly from reality based on what works for the characters in this story.
There are many characters in this story that are in the military. While much of what I talk about that these characters go through is based off of my knowledge (I am part of a very large military family and I have nothing but the utmost respect and honor for those who are currently serving and who have served in the past), due to the fact that this is a work of Fiction, some things have been altered from reality to accommodate the characters and the story, as well as the names of some places. If you have any questions or concerns please let me know before reading! I will answer all questions!
Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoy it!
"Liliana! Back here!" I hear my friend Sienna's voice before I actually see her as I scan the two rows of bus seats looking for a place to sit.
I make my way down the aisle towards the rear of the bus to where Sienna is saving a seat for me. We've been friends my entire life. She is actually four years older than me but the difference never bothered us. I know that some of her friends don't understand why a seventh grader would want to spend time with a third grader, but they just don't understand. We are more than friends, we are practically sisters. I've always looked up to her and I always will.
Our families have a lot in common as well. Part of the reason we are so close is that our dads are best friends. They served in the war together before I was born.
"Hey Sienna! How was your day?" I ask as I make myself comfortable for the ride home.
"It was okay, I had big test in algebra but I'm pretty sure I did well on it. Mr. Latier said he would have them back to us by tomorrow. How was the first day of career week?"
"Well, except for me being tired from not getting much sleep the last few days it was a good day. We had two guest speakers this afternoon. The first was this boy Gabe's mom; she works as an accountant at a bank in downtown Panem. The next one was a lot more interesting I think. He is the physical education teacher at the high school and he's also a decorated veteran like both of our dad's."
"Oh yeah? What did he talk to your class about?"
"Well he actually told us about being a PE teacher and serving our country. He was active duty in the Air Force for almost ten years and he deployed overseas three times. He was badly injured the third time though and that's when he retired from the military and started teaching."
"Oh wow! That sounds a lot like what happened with our dads!"
"My teacher Ms. Lyme asked him to talk to us about never giving up, no matter what kind of things might happen in life."
"That's awesome! I wish we would have had someone like that come and talk to my class when I was in elementary school. I was usually bored during career week. Our presenters were never very interesting or motivational." Sienna admits. "I wonder if our dads know the man who came to talk to your class today?"
"I don't know, I guess it's possible."
"Yeah it's possible. Do you remember what his name was?"
"Umm.. I don't remember his first name but I remember his last name. It's Castor. Our dads might recognize that, especially since they usually go by last name in the military." Our dads still call each other by Mellark and Hopper most of the time. It's something they've always done so to me its normal.
"I'll ask my dad when I get home. Did he go into any details about how he was injured overseas?"
I'm kind of surprised that she wants to know so much about this man, but at the same time I guess I'm used to it. Since we both come from large military families we have both grown up knowing many people in the military. We've both been learning about the armed forces since we were little.
"Yeah a little bit, but mainly because some of the kids started asking lots of questions about it. He had to have one of his feet amputated above the ankle. He walks with a prosthetic just like my dad. He can still walk and run just like everyone else. Most of the kids in my class were shocked. I don't think many of them had ever seen someone with a prosthetic limb. To me though, it wasn't anything I hadn't seen before. My dad has had his prosthetic leg as far back as I can remember."
"Yeah he had it before you were born. I was four I think when our dads were attacked in Afghanistan."
I nearly jump out of my seat at her words.
"What do you mean attacked?" I shriek as I turn sideways to face her in the seat.
"You know... when the tank was hit and our dads were badly injured." She replies carefully as her face fills with worry.
I don't understand! What is she talking about? Attacked? It was an accident wasn't it? My dad lost his leg in an accident didn't he? Or... "Wait! What?" It feels like the temperature on the bus just jumped 30 degrees in about five seconds. I feel like I'm burning up and it's getting harder to breathe.
"Oh no..." Sienna sighs as she turns away from me, bows her head and braces her palms on her knees.
"Sienna, what do you mean 'oh no' and what aren't you telling me? You said our dads were attacked? Pleeease… tell me what you're talking about!" I beg as I begin to feel panic coursing through my body.
"You didn't know… I honestly didn't know your parents hadn't already told you. I should never have said anything." She replies regretfully. "Both your parents and mine are going to mad at me."
"Sienna, what didn't my parents tell me? How...? What do you know that I don't?"
Sienna takes a few deep breaths before turning herself sideways so that she is facing me in the seat. "Listen Liliana... I never should have said that. I guess I will say this since there's no way for me to take back what I've already said - there is more to the story but it isn't my story to tell you. I think it's very important that you go home and talk to your dad and mom right away. You know some of the story because you already know that your dad has a partially artificial leg, but it's a little more complicated than it being just an accident." She sighs again and glances out the window as we turn the corner onto my street. "We are almost to your stop now. You're dad's still at home with your mom, right?"
I can't hide the worry in my voice. I wish she would just tell me what she's talking about. "Ye...yeah he is, he said he would be home for a couple weeks. They both have their hands full now and with Landon being sick the last few days it makes it even harder on them."
"Well hopefully your dad won't be too busy when you get home. I really think he should be the one to tell you the full story. Please call me later once you've talked to him, okay?"
"Yeah I will."
As the bus comes to a stop at the corner, I slowly stand up and give Sienna as much of a smile as I can muster up before turning to make my way towards the front of the bus. I'm feeling overwhelmed and I don't know what to think. I guess I won't until I find out what Sienna is talking about. I want to be angry that I've been left in the dark as far as the whole story is concerned but I'm more worried than anything. My dad and I have always been close, so what is he keeping from me?
As I begin walking down the aisle I hear Sienna one more time. "I really am sorry, Liliana!"
I can't bring myself to say anything, but I turn and give her a final worried glance before getting off the bus.
Somehow I manage to keep my composure until I hear the bus begin to drive away from the bus stop and then I lose it and start crying as I take off running down the street towards my house.
Our house is only seven houses down from the bus stop so it doesn't take me long to get there even though I'm running with a full backpack on my back. I attempt to wipe the tears from my eyes before I unlock the door but it's no use. My mom and dad will know immediately that I've been crying. I've never been able to hide how I'm feeling from my parents. They care a lot and notice everything.
I carefully slide my key into the lock and take a deep breath as I step inside the door. I need to talk to my parents, but what do I say? I don't even know what attack Sienna is talking about. The only thing I do know is my parents are hiding something from me. But why?
Glancing around the living room, I don't immediately see anyone and I don't hear any crying but I know everyone's home. Both cars were in the driveway when I came in. Dad can't leave mom to go back to work just yet and Landon has been sick with the flu since early Sunday morning.
In the past, I would walk in the door after school and call out for whoever I knew would be home that day, my mom or dad, but with two babies in the house I don't want to be the one to wake them if they are sleeping at the moment.
Dad just brought mom and the twin's home from the hospital on Sunday morning and it's been crazy and loud around here since then. There have never been two babies here at the same time, and our family has now grown to a family of six. Mom and Dad are officially outnumbered. Given that my parents thought they were done having kids, it wasn't a planned pregnancy, but as my mom always says, life never does seem to turn out the way we expect it to.
Even though the twins were not expected, my parents couldn't be happier. The twins are not identical; they are fraternal and look almost completely opposite one another, Mia Annabelle looks just like dad, with blonde hair and blue eyes and Micah Quinn looks just like mom with dark brown hair and grey eyes. Mia is very fussy and Micah is a very quiet and relaxed baby. Even at less than a week old, Micah hardly ever cries, while Mia cries anytime she needs something.
The worry in me is telling me to go find my dad immediately but the scared part of me doesn't know what to do, so I throw my backpack down on the floor and have a seat on the couch to give myself a minute to think and try to calm down.
No more than two minutes pass by before I am aware that my dad has found me sitting in the living room. "Welcome home Lily-bug! How was school? You had career day today right?"
This is it. He's going to see the tears in my eyes any moment now. I try to swallow the lump in my throat before I say anything. It doesn't help much.
"Hi dad. Yeah today was the first day of career week. It went okay I guess."
I'm surprised my voice doesn't crack as I answer him, but I know I don't sound like I usually do. My dad has always been able to read me like a book so it doesn't surprise me one bit that he picks up on the tone of my voice right away. "You don't sound very happy there Lily-bug! Is everything okay?" He asks as he comes down the last two steps and makes his way across the living room to where I am sitting on our sectional couch.
I look down at my folded hands in my lap hoping that a good answer will immediately come to me but it's no good. I don't know what to say or how to even say what's on my mind. Normally I'm kind of a chatterbox; I've always talked to my parents about what I'm thinking or feeling. However, this revelation that my parents are hiding something from me is rendering me speechless.
My dad picks up on my silence immediately and comes and sits next to me, wrapping his right arm around my shoulders and pulling me into his side. When I don't look up at him, he gently brings two fingers under my chin and raises it so his eyes meet mine. "No! You're not okay! Liliana what's wrong? What happened? Did something happen at school today?"
My eyes fill to the brim with tears, how can I accuse my loving dad of not being completely truthful with me? This thought and the thought of someone purposefully attacking my dad makes me feel sick.
"Liliana please talk to me!"
I feel that uncomfortable lump forming in my throat again as I shake my head. "Not at school."
"Okay, so nothing happened at school. Did something happen on the bus on the way home?"
I can tell he's trying to stay calm but I can also hear in his voice how worried I am making him. I can also tell how tired he is, both him and my mom have been tired since last week when Mia and Micah were born.
My mom delivered the twins last Thursday, October 4th and today is only the 9th so the twins aren't sleeping throughout the night yet as they are not even a week old. My parents are both up every couple of hours, just like the twins are.
He's guessed it though. I have to say something. I just can't get the words out. The scared and worried look he gives me makes me feel even worse and I can't hold the tears back any longer. I look up at my dad as the hot fresh tears spill down my cheeks.
The next thing I know he is lifting me into his strong arms as he pulls me into his lap. I turn my head and press my tear stained face into his sweatshirt. He smells like Old Spice and cinnamon, he's always smelled like this and I love it. I feel safe and protected in his strong arms.
I feel a new wave of tears forming as I think about why I am so upset in the first place. How could someone attack my daddy?
I start sobbing into his shirt and he wraps his arms tightly around me and rocks me gently back and forth. He holds me like this for a few minutes as he waits for me to calm down!
"Liliana can you please tell me what's wrong? I need to know so I can help you! I don't like seeing my baby this upset!" I hear his voice breaking and I feel even worse knowing it's me that's upsetting him this much.
I know I need to talk to him like Sienna said, but for the moment I keep my face pressed into his shirt. It's better in the shirt.
My dad allows me to remain like this until he can tell I've calmed down some, but eventually he loosens his hold on me and begins coaxing my face out of his shirt.
"Please Liliana, talk to me! I want to help you but I can't help if I don't know what's wrong."
I take a couple deep breaths and then begin to explain. "O... okay. Well you know how we had career day today?"
"Yeah."
"One of the presenters today was a retired military man just like you. He was injured in the war and had a prosthetic limb just like you too."
"Oh I see. Did something he said make you this upset?"
"No, not exactly. He was actually a lot more interesting than the other presenter. I liked listening to his story. The accountant was kind of boring. It... It happened on the bus ride home." I say as I realize my voice is getting shaky once again. As hard as it is, I need to just get it over with and talk to him about what Sienna said.
My dad senses that I am tensing up, and so he begins rubbing his hands up and down my back in an attempt to calm my nerves.
It helps a little and so I continue on. "Well once I got on the bus Sienna asked me about how career day went, so I started telling her about our two presenters. She seemed really interested in the military man which didn't really surprise me, especially since we both come from military families. She was also really curious about his prosthetic limb and how he was injured. I told her about how many of my classmates were shocked when they discovered he had a prosthetic limb, but I wasn't shocked, I'm used to seeing yours, you know? Then... then she..." My eyes begin filling with tears once again and of course dad notices immediately.
The worried expression on my dad's face grows with each passing second. I can't help but wonder if he might know what this is about. "Then what, Liliana?"
"Sienna, she... she told me that you've had your prosthetic leg since she was four years old." I don't exactly know where I get the courage to say the last part but it comes from somewhere and without realizing it I am shouting it out in my choked up voice. "SHE SAID SHE WAS FOUR WHEN YOU AND HER DAD WERE ATTACKED IN AFGHANISTAN! DADDY WHAT DOES SHE MEAN ATTACKED? I THOUGHT IT WAS AN ACCIDENT?"
By the time I get the final words out I can feel the warm streams of fresh tears running down my cheeks. I try to look up at him through my glassy eyes but I just start crying even harder until he adjusts me in his lap so that my chest is pressed against his and my legs rest on either side of his hips. He wraps his strong arms around my back while I wrap my arms tightly around his neck and press my face into the crook of his neck. My tears soak the blonde curls at the base of his neck but it doesn't seem to bother him. He only holds me closer to him as I continue to cry.
Through my sobs I hear him trying to console me. "Oh baby, I'm so sorry! Please calm down!"
Being held like this by my daddy reminds me of when I was younger and was having a hard time falling asleep. He would hold me just like this until I finally drifted off to sleep. Something about the beating of his heart, strong and steady, has never failed to calm me. He is my rock, he always has been. I think that's why this realization that he was attacked is making me so sick and upset. Who would want to hurt him? I can't even imagine what could have happened.
It takes me a few minutes but eventually I begin to calm down. When I finally do I look up at him I ask him the two main questions weighing on my mind. "Is she telling the truth, were you attacked?"
Glancing up into the deep blue eyes that match mine so perfectly, I see his own tears threatening to fall as he nods his head in confirmation. "She's telling the truth. There was an attack."
As frightened as I am, I have to know. "How could someone attack you? Wha... what happened daddy? Please tell me!"
His shimmering blue eyes meet mine as if he is searching them hoping that they will tell him what to do. Then he takes a deep breath. "I think that you, me and mom need to talk. Let's go."
I may be eight going on nine, but my dad can still lift and carry me with ease, just as he's done since I was a baby. With me still in his arms, he stands up and begins heading upstairs to where I know mom is in bed resting.
My dad carries me up the stairs and down the hall into their bedroom where we find my mom fast asleep in their bed and the babies fast asleep in their bassinets with their bellies full from their last feeding.
I'm not exactly sure how we will be able to talk in here with the babies sleeping just feet away from the bed, but moms supposed to stay in bed as much as possible and they don't like leaving the babies alone for extended periods of time just yet.
Dad walks over to mom's side of the bed and gently shakes her awake with his hand that isn't holding me. She doesn't open her eyes right away but I hear her mumble "feeding time already?" as she hugs her pillow closer to her body.
"No honey, not yet. But can you wake up for a little bit. Liliana is home from school... the three of us, we need to talk."
Mom opens her eyes immediately and adjusts her pillows so that she can sit up against the headboard. As soon as she sits up she notices my glassy eyes and tear streaked face. Her face immediately fills with worry just like dad's did downstairs. "Oh baby what's wrong?"
Mom extends her right arm and begins rubbing circles into my lower back. I rest my head on dad's shoulder and wrap my arms tightly around his shoulders as I feel my eyes watering up once again.
I can't be sure but I think dad mouths something to mom over the top of my head. I don't hear what he tells her but she replies with "oh sweetie, I'm so sorry! Come here and sit next to me."
Dad tries to set me down on the bed but I don't want to let go. I'm scared.
"It's going to be alright Lily-bug. Climb over and sit next to mom, I'll go around to the other side and sit on your left. I'm not going anywhere, I promise."
Trusting him, I do as he says and as soon as I crawl over to moms left side she wraps her arms around me and pulls me tightly into her side, kissing the crown of my head. Dad climbs in on my other side and wraps his right arm around both me and mom. Sandwiched in between the two of them, I feel protected, I feel safe, I feel loved.
"Okay Liliana, your mom and I both owe you an explanation. You were only a toddler when you started asking why my leg was different from everyone else's. You were very young at the time and we were both afraid that if we told you I lost my leg in an attack you would be frightened. We've always known that one day you would need to hear the whole story, but at the time it seemed like a much better idea to tell you that it was just an accident."
"Oh. I guess that kind of makes sense. Sienna was shocked that I didn't already know about the attack though. Then she got all worried that you guys and her parents would be mad at her." I explain.
"We're not mad, don't worry. We're more concerned with how you're dealing with this news. It's a lot to try to wrap your head around. We just... we didn't want you to find out like this. We both planned on telling you in our own way and at the right time."
"I think I'm old enough now. Please tell me! There's no way for me to not know now anyways, right?"
Dad turns his head so that his eyes meet mine. "You're right. I guess it's time for you to hear the whole story."
I don't know what I expected, but as he begins I immediately realize that my parents were right to wait on telling me the whole story.
"You were still safe in mom's belly the day that the tank I was riding in was attacked. There were four men in the tank besides me, Cato, Marvel, Thresh and Hopper, Sienna's dad. We were traveling through an especially dangerous part of Afghanistan when one of the bad guys over there launched a rocket propelled grenade at our tank. Sadly, Cato and Marvel didn't make it. Thresh, Hopper and me were badly injured but they were able to get themselves and me out of there quickly. Shortly after, we were picked up by a chopper and flown to Mockingjay Air Base in Germany. Do you understand everything so far?"
Dad was right. This is a lot to wrap my head around. "Yeah. I mean I think so. That's really sad about Marvel and Cato."
"It's very sad. There wasn't anything we could do for them though. They are watching over us now, just like grandma and grandpa Everdeen." Dad pauses for a moment and locks eyes with mom before continuing. "Are you ready for me to continue?" He asks me as he tries to wipe the tears out of the corners of his eyes.
I take a deep breath in and out. "Go ahead."
"Okay. I was very sick by the time they got us to Germany, so I don't remember a lot of my time there. Hopper and Thresh were not as severely injured as me, but we all had our own share of injuries. When I woke up after my surgery, I learned that I had lost part of my left leg, but you know what?"
"What?"
"That wasn't what I was mainly worried about. I was worried about more important things."
"Like what dad?" I ask curiously.
"Like you and mom. Your mother's name was the first thing I wrote on the dry erase board they gave me." Dad has tears falling down his cheeks as he says this so I wrap my arms tightly around him reassuring him that he's okay and that mom and I are right here with him.
"Re... really?" This sort of surprises me, but at the same time it doesn't. My dad has always been the most loving, caring and selfless man I know.
"Yes. Really. Then as soon as they told me she was okay I asked about you. We didn't know if you were a boy or a girl just yet, but I had a feeling all along that you were a girl. I had already had multiple dreams of carrying a little girl in my arms."
"You were right daddy!"
He gives me a big smile and places a kiss on my forehead. "Yes I was! You were waiting on me to return to you just like mom, and I knew that I had to make it home to you both!"
I hug him even tighter. "I'm glad you did daddy! I would have been really sad if I had to grow up without my daddy."
"I'm so glad I did too baby! You and your mom, and Landon and the twins mean everything to me! I love you all so so much!"
I reach up and kiss his cheek. "I love you too daddy!"
"I spent the weekend recovering from my surgery in Germany. Your Aunt Annie and Uncle Finnick were there with me all weekend. Aunt Annie stayed at the hospital with me the entire time. She even waited outside the operating room doors when I was in surgery. I was never alone."
"Oh daddy! I'm glad! That would be sad if you were alone. I love Aunt Annie though! She's so nice!"
I hear my mom sniffle and look up at her. She has tears in her eyes as well. "Mommy, is this making you sad?"
She wraps her arm around me and pulls me to her side. "I'm okay sweetie. This is just bringing back a lot of memories. I wanted more than anything during that weekend to be with your dad but I couldn't be there. I was here and I had to take care of you. I'm glad Aunt Annie was there with him too!"
"Did you at least get to talk to daddy?" I ask as she tries to wipe away her tears.
Dad answers for her. "The doctor didn't want me to talk much right away, so I only got to call your mom once, but Finnick and Annie kept in touch with her multiple times every day. Then the following Monday I got the best news, they were going to fly me back home to Panem and to you and mom! I was so happy! I couldn't wait to hold your mom in my arms again."
"I was so excited when I got the call that dad was coming home." My mom adds. "I remember being restless that whole day as we waited for his plane to arrive. It couldn't get to Panem fast enough."
"No it couldn't." Dad replies with a smile as he leans over me to give mom a kiss.
Moments later, we are interrupted when Landon wakes up in the next room and starts crying. With only one wall separating the two rooms it isn't hard to hear his cries. He doesn't cry most of the time, but when he's sick it's another story. He hates being sick. Honestly we all do, but I think he hates it the most.
"Do you want me to go?" Mom asks.
"No! No! You still shouldn't be up more than necessary. If you'll stay here with Lily-bug, I'll go check on him." Dad says as he shifts his prosthetic leg over the edge of the bed so he can get up. "I'll go check on how he's doing and hopefully I'll be back soon. I hope he's feeling better than he was earlier. Our poor baby is miserable."
"Okay, I hope so too! We'll be here, let us know if you need anything." Mom replies.
"I will."
Mom and I curl up together while we wait for dad to return so he can continue his story. I've had a long day already and mom is still pretty sore and exhausted from the C-section delivery.
Dad comes back in the room to let us know that unfortunately Landon also has a bit of a stomach bug so he has to get him cleaned up and change the sheets on his bed. I feel bad for my brother. He already hates being sick and now he is missing out on enjoying his first full week as a big brother. I also know this is hard on my parents, they really have their hands full now, and Landon can't be close to the twins until he is feeling better. I really hope he feels better soon.
Once dad goes back into Landon's room I scoot myself to the edge of the bed near where Mia and Micah are fast asleep in their bassinets side-by-side. I like watching them sleep. They are so adorable and yet they are so tiny. I don't think I've ever seen babies as small as they are. I was only three years old when Landon was born but mom and dad said that he was a little over eight pounds which was even bigger than I was. The twins however are each just shy of six pounds. Mom says they are smaller because there were two of them inside her tummy where only one baby is normally.
It takes dad about a half an hour to get the sheets on Landon's bed changed, to get Landon cleaned up and to stay with him until he falls back to sleep. Landon didn't want to be left alone and since dad can't bring him in to their bedroom because of the twins being so young he stayed with him until he was fast asleep.
Dad continues on with his story once he is back on the bed with me and mom. "I remember being pretty out of it when the plane carrying Thresh, Hopper, Annie and I arrived back in Panem, but the main thing I remember is waking up to the beautiful sound of your mom's voice as she hummed 'The Valley Song.'"
"What's 'The Valley Song?'" I ask.
I notice that mom and dad smile brightly at one another as I wait for one of them to answer my question.
"'The Valley Song' is an old song; I don't think they really sing it in the schools anymore. But it's special to your mom and me because we were in kindergarten the first time I heard her sing it and that was the day that she unknowingly stole my heart. Her voice was the most beautiful thing I had ever heard and I knew that I wanted to hear it forever. That was the day I knew she was the one for me."
I feel more tears in my eyes, but this time they are not tears of sadness. "Awwh daddy! I love this part of the story! Did you tell mom that you thought her voice was beautiful and that you liked her?"
Mom and dad both wrap their arms around my back and sandwich me even tighter in between the two of them.
Mom answers for dad once again. "Not exactly sweetie. Your dad was a little bit shy, you know just like you can be sometimes. It took him a while to gain the courage to tell me how he had always felt about me."
This surprises me. I've always known my dad to be very openly loving and caring so I can't imagine him being shy when it comes to telling someone he loves them, especially my mom. I turn my attention back to dad for my next question. "Are you serious? How long did you wait daddy?"
I noticed that dad blushes when he makes eye contact with mom before looking at me. "Umm... I waited too long. In fact, I didn't talk to your mom really or even tell her and I felt about her until we met again at Uncle Gale's and Aunt Johanna's the Christmas before we got married."
"Oh my gosh daddy! That's crazy! You love mom! Why did you wait that long to tell her?"
"I was always shy when it came to my feelings. I admired her from afar for thirteen years and then when I enlisted in the military I thought I had lost my chance with her forever. When we met again a few years later everything changed though, and we've been together since that night."
"You're silly daddy!"
"I know, but that's why you and mommy love me right?" He winks at me.
"Right! I love you daddy!" I exclaim as I lean up to kiss his cheek. He also gives mommy a quick kiss.
"And I love you both so much!" He replies.
"So back to the story daddy... what happened when you woke up?" I ask. I'm really anxious to hear how his story ends.
"The first couple of days were very painful. I slept a lot. But the best medicine was nothing that the doctors could give me. The best medicine for me was having your mom there with me. And you, even though we couldn't hold you yet."
"I like that. So mom and I are good medicine huh?"
Dad smiles at me and kisses my forehead. "Yes sweetie, you both helped me in so many ways. Each day that went by had its good points and its challenges, but I also got better as each day went on. Since I had lost part of my leg I had to get fitted with a prosthetic one and then I had to learn how to walk all over again. It wasn't easy but I kept pushing on. I set goals for myself and I was determined to be walking on my own before your mom had you. I only had a couple months so I worked hard at my physical therapy. In the end I succeeded, I even surprised myself and everyone else when I started walking on my own by Christmas Day. Mom and I called it the Christmas miracle."
Dad has tears in his eyes by the time he finishes his story. In fact all three of us do. "I'm so proud of you daddy!"
"We're so proud of you!" Mom adds.
"Thank you both!" He sniffles, holding back his tears. "Liliana, do you want to know why I fought so hard to survive the attack and recover?"
"Yes!" I reply.
"It was because even though the easiest thing would have been to give up when I was barely clinging onto life, I knew that your mom was waiting for me and needed me and loved me just like I love her. I couldn't leave her and I couldn't leave you. I hadn't even met you yet but I knew that I had to live so that I could meet my daughter. I didn't want you to grow up without a dad."
The soft cry of one of the twins causes us all to turn our attention to them. It isn't long before Mia's cries wake Micah and they both become fussy.
"It sounds like its feeding time again." Mom says as she sits up straight in the bed and grabs the pillow she places over her still slightly swollen stomach when she feeds the babies.
"Yep. I think you're right honey. Those sound like hungry cries to me." Dad replies as he gets up and walks around the bed to the bassinets.
"Little Miss Mia are you hungry?" Dad says as he very gently lifts Mia into his arms and hands her over to mom so that she can breast feed her.
I watch in awe as my parents work in sync with one another to help each other with the feedings. They have a routine down pat for almost everything when it comes to us kids. They may be exhausted a lot of the time, especially this last week, but they are always more than willing to do whatever we need and they are never shy about showing us how much they truly love us. Landon, Mia, Micah and I really do have the most amazing parents in the world.
It doesn't take mom long at all to get Mia to latch on so that she can begin filling her belly. When dad lifts Micah out of his bassinet he realizes that he needs his diaper changed as well as needing to be fed. He carries him over to the changing table and I curl up into mom's side as I watch Mia staring back at mommy as she eats. I love that her eyes match mine and dads. They are a stunning bright shade of blue; they remind me of the sky on a bright and sunny summer day.
A couple minutes later dad joins us in the bed with Micah in his arms. He's still fussy so dad tries rocking him in his arms to calm him until it's his turn. "Yeah, I know little buddy. It will be your turn real soon. Ladies are first. That's how it's always going to be."
"Teaching him young, huh?" My mom chuckles.
"Yep!" Dad replies with a smile. "Might as well start him out on the right foot. I think he's going to be a charmer just like me so I might as well start teaching him all my secrets now!"
He winks at me and mom and we all start laughing. My dad can be real funny sometimes.
"So Lily-bug, now that you've heard pretty much the whole story, do you have any questions for me or your mom?"
I think about this for a few moments. Now that I really know what happened to my dad, I think he was right in waiting to tell me the true story. I don't think that I would've been able to handle this years ago. I'm eight going on nine and even now it's hard for me to listen to.
There is something else I want to know though. "Is this... Is that what you and mom have nightmares about so often? The attack?"
I notice that dad takes a deep breath. I think I already know the answer to my own question. He carefully shifts Micah so but he can hold him with only his left arm and then he wraps his right arm around my shoulders. "Yes it is sweetie. That's not always the case but a lot of time it is. Sometimes when things are really scary, our minds never truly let us forget them. Fear and pain are very strong things to overcome and forget. But one thing that I always try to remind myself of is that there is something stronger than fear."
"What's that dad?"
"Hope. Hope and love can conquer fear, and you and your mom, Landon, and the twins Mia and Micah give me the best hope of all. You all give me the hope that life can be good again no matter how bad our losses. So when I wake up terrified from one of my nightmares all I have to do is look at your mom and you, Landon, and Mia and Micah and I know right away that I'll be okay."
"Your dad is right Lily-bug." My mom adds. "I feel the exact same way he does. Your dad and you, and your brothers and sister are what keep me going. Just knowing that I have people that love and care about me just as much as I love and care about them is what makes my life worth living. I have nightmares just like your dad does, sometimes they are about his attack in Afghanistan and sometimes they are about my family but when I wake and your dad's arms are there to comfort me I know that everything will be alright."
I don't even realize that I've started crying again. My parents are just as in love now as they were the day they got married if not even more so. Their love has gotten through them through a lot of ups and downs together. They need each other and us kids just as much as we all need them. I can't even imagine or would ever want to try to imagine a world in which my dad didn't survive the attack in Afghanistan.
XOXOXOXOXO
Liliana falls asleep with her head in my lap about five minutes after Katniss and I switch babies so that she can feed Micah and I can burp Mia. We've all had a long day; I think we're all tired. Reliving the old memories of my attack in Afghanistan isn't easy for me or Katniss. Just thinking about those days and weeks brings back a lot of heavy emotions for both of us.
Katniss and I have always known that one day we would have to tell Liliana the truth about how I really was injured but we didn't know exactly when it was going to happen. I think we were both hoping to wait as long as possible so that she would be old enough to understand and not get so upset about it. However, once Sienna brought it up today there was no going back. She knew that it was an attack and not an accident and it was our job to tell her the truth. We know that revealing the truth was a mistake on Sienna's part. She didn't know that we hadn't told our daughter yet and so we are not mad at her at all. If anything, one thing I'm thankful for is that she didn't tell Liliana the whole truth. It needed to be Katniss and I that told her. It was important to us that she hears it from her parents and no one else.
At about fifteen minutes to six I get a call from Haymitch on my cell phone. He lets me know that he and Maysilee will be over to our house around six o'clock with pizza for all of us for dinner. Haymitch has been doing an amazing job of helping us out with meals, laundry and with Liliana and Landon since the twins were born. Katniss and I truly appreciate all that he does for us. We've had our hands full this past week, but it'll be easier on all of us once Katniss is healed and she can move around and lift things again.
"Wake up my little sleepyhead!" I say as I gently shake Liliana awake. "Grandpa Haymitch and Grandma Maysilee are on their way over with dinner."
"Mmm... What are they bringing?"
"Grandpa said Pizza."
Pizza is like a magic word with Liliana. It's all the convincing she needs. She goes from sleepy to jumping out of bed in no time at all. "I'll get up for pizza!"
I suppose she gets her love of pizza from Katniss and I. We both love it. In fact, we made pizzas together for dinner the night we became boyfriend and girlfriend.
Liliana gets down from the bed and then I follow her around to the other side of the bed and place Mia back in her bassinet. With a full tummy she's fast asleep and so is Micah. They should stay asleep long enough so that we can all eat dinner together. I take Micah from Katniss and place him beside his sister before helping Katniss up and into the bathroom. I ask Liliana to go ahead and go down so that she can let her grandparents in if they get here before we make it back downstairs.
A few minutes later we make our way down the hall to the stairs. Just as we begin to descend the stairs we hear Landon start to cry once again. It breaks our hearts knowing how miserable he is when he's sick.
Katniss starts to turn around but I motion for her to keep going down the stairs. I can help her down and then go check on Landon.
"I hear you buddy! I'll be there in just a minute!"
"O...okay." He calls out in a sad voice.
As soon as Katniss is safely down in the kitchen I turn around and dart up the stairs to Landon's room. I'm hoping that he's not still sick to his stomach; the poor boy has been through enough these last few days.
When I enter his room I'm glad to see that he's sitting up in bed hugging his stuffed duck. He's had it since he was born. Prim bought it for him at the hospital and it's his favorite comfort item. Landon seems to feel a little better than he did earlier this afternoon. Maybe this flu is finally starting to work its way out of his system.
"What's up little buddy? How are you feeling?" I ask as I have a seat next to him on the edge of his bed.
"I'm thirsty."
"I can take care of that. How does some ginger ale sound?"
"Sounds good. And daddy?" He asks as he makes a sniffling sound with his nose.
"Yeah?"
"Do I have to stay in here? I really don't want to be alone."
"No, you can come downstairs if you feel up to it. Grandpa Haymitch and Grandma Maysilee are on their way over with some dinner. I don't think you're tummy is quite ready for normal food yet but I'll get you some ginger ale and some bland food if you're hungry at all. Before you know it you'll be back to playing with your sister and you can spend time with your new brother and sister too! How does that sound?"
"I like that."
"Okay, let's go see mommy and Liliana." I lift him easily into my arms and carry him downstairs to the couch. He asks if he can watch TV and so I get him a blanket and turn on Disney Junior for him to watch while I go get him something to eat and drink from the kitchen.
After a delicious dinner of pizza, salad, bread sticks and fresh baked cookies, all of us join Landon in the living room. Katniss and Haymitch sit with Landon on the couch while Maysilee and I each choose a recliner to sit on. Liliana starts out playing with her dolls in the middle of the living room carpet but after a while she climbs up into my lap. By 8:30 PM both Liliana and Landon are fast asleep, Liliana in my arms and Landon with his head in Katniss' lap and his legs draped over Haymitch's legs.
"She sure fell asleep early tonight!" Haymitch points out to Katniss and me. He's right though. Ever since Liliana turned eight she's been trying to convince us to let her stay up to at least nine. She's had me wrapped around her little finger ever since she was born so she usually comes to me first when she wants something. Katniss is usually the one who tells her when she needs to go to bed early.
"I think she's just exhausted. She's had a very long day." Katniss tells him.
"What happened?"
Katniss' eyes meet mine across the room. I can see the concern and exhaustion in her eyes.
"Sienna unknowingly spilled the beans about the attack on the bus ride home today and so Katniss and I spent the afternoon telling her the true story." I tell him.
"Oh the poor thing! That must have been hard for her to hear. And you too! Are you both okay after reliving those memories?"
I look to Katniss and she takes a deep breath and nods. "Yeah we're alright I think. The hardest part is trying to explain it to a child. Our own child. We don't want to frighten her or cause her to have nightmares because of it."
"And knowing that we are going to have to do this all over again with Landon and then with Mia and Micah when they are old enough." Katniss adds.
I nod my head in agreement. "Yeah that too."
"You'll tell them the same things you told Liliana when the time is right." Maysilee tells us reassuringly. "Now I know that I haven't known either of you as long as Haymitch, but I've known you long enough to know how brave, strong and in love you are and what amazing and loving parents you are to these children. You've both been through truly horrific things in your pasts but you've lived through them and survived and I think you are stronger now than ever because of what you've endured in life. And you have one another for support. You also have us and Peeta's father to support you whenever you need it!"
"Thanks Maysilee!" I say as I give her a smile.
Moments later we hear one of the twins, most likely Mia, crying through the baby monitor.
"It's that time again!" Katniss admits through a tired yawn.
"Yeah it is. I'll help you and we'll get some sleep as soon as they are asleep, at least for a few hours anyways."
"Yeah, until the midnight feeding." Katniss laughs. I know this is exhausting for her and I wish that I could do more to help.
We both stand up and so do Haymitch and Maysilee. "We'll put these two to bed for you so that's one thing you don't have to worry about tonight. I'll take Landon and Maysilee can get Liliana tucked in." Haymitch offers.
"We appreciate that, really."
"Don't mention it! That's what grandparents are for!"
Maysilee helps Katniss on the stairs and Haymitch carries Landon up while I carry Liliana to her room.
"Got to call Sienna back… I promised her…" Liliana murmurs quietly as I lay her down on her bed.
"Don't worry sweetie, I'll call Hopper and tell him that you're asleep and that you'll talk to Sienna tomorrow."
"Okay… I love you daddy!"
"I love you too Lily-bug! Sweet dreams!"
About an hour later, Katniss and I lie curled up in one another's arms as we try to get a few precious hours of sleep before one of the twin's wakes us up again.
"We made it through the first one huh?" Katniss asks as she softly runs her fingertips up and down the fine hair on my arm.
"Yeah we did. It went a little easier than I expected but I still want to talk to Liliana tomorrow and make sure that she understood everything and that we didn't scare or worry her too much." I tell her as I gently kiss her forehead.
"That's a good idea. She didn't really ask many questions today and that kind of worried me."
"Me too. But she'll be okay. She has us and we'll help her get through it. We'll help all of them get through it. We're in this together."
"Together."
I really hope that you enjoyed this first WHH one shot! Liliana's POV was fun to write!
I owe a very special thank you to christyjosh4eva for everything you've done to help and support me as I wrote this over the past few weeks!
Thanks again to all of you for reading!
***** I have been thinking about some more future one shot ideas that I am going to write in the 'Whatever Happens Here' universe. I haven't come up with any specific ideas yet though! If you have any ideas for one shots that you'd like to see me write, leave me a personal message or a review and I will definitely consider all your ideas. I'd love to write more!
*****Please leave me a quick review! I always love reading your reviews!