Author's Note: Well this is then end. I'm back from Mexico and all I can think of it why the hell do I live in Canada...there is like 3 feet of snow in Edmonton...yuck! Well anyways here is the last chapter. Read and review! I'd love to hear your thoughts! Enjoy and thank you for reading!
The morning sunlight shines through my eyelids. Last night replays in my head, on a nearly constant loop. Just the thought of Katniss and last night takes my breath away.
I can feel her, curled tightly into my side. Both of us still lie naked and together. I sigh and look over at the clock 8:45 AM. We have to leave for the airport at ten. This entire night was so bitter sweet and now all I know is bitter. I have to leave in just over an hour. Who knows when or if I'll even see her again. I could never regret our time together but still I know it will hurt a lot to leave her.
It's ironic really. I had wanted to meet a girl this summer. I thought it would only be a cruel twist of fate to meet one in Mexico…yet I did exactly that. And it is indeed cruel.
Katniss begins to stir at my side. She looks up at me with bleary eyes and a wide smile.
"Good morning." She whispers in a voice still deep from sleep.
"Good morning." I place a chaste kiss on her forehead.
"How long until you have to leave?" Her voice is laced with sadness.
"About an hour." I say with equal sadness.
"Oh." She says and then worries her bottom lip between her teeth. "Alright."
We get up together; I take a quick shower and dress. I throw everything into my suitcase and I go to place it by the front door.
I do my best to sneak Katniss out but Markus sees and gives me a knowing smirk. I know I'll be hearing about this later, I know he is going to tell Rye and Dad all about it.
We walk slowly down the beach. Hand in hand, in gloomy silence. Knowing that at the pier we will have to say our goodbyes. Our steps slow slightly as we approach, both wishing it didn't have to end. Sadly it does come to an end and our feet eventually hit the pier.
The dull plunk of our feet on the wooden boards is one of the worst sounds I have ever heard. Katniss turns to me with tears in her eyes. She blinks quickly and they are gone.
Instead of words I pull her close, she nuzzles into my neck and I feel a few hot tears drip onto my neck. I pull her tight and place a sweet and lingering kiss to her temple.
"I'll miss you Katniss." I whisper.
"I'll miss you too Peeta."
"I just want you to know…this has been the most amazing month of my entire life. I'll never forget you." I mumble into her hair.
"We'll talk right?" Her voice quietly pleads.
"All the time." I promise.
"We'll stay friends." She says, hesitating over the word friends. We both wish it could be more, but it can't. I don't know the next time, or if I'll ever come back here again. And she'll probably never return to Canada, not when her family is here. It's illogical, completely illogical. Long distance relationships rarely work so why put ourselves through the pain.
My watch alarm beeps. I have to head back now in order to leave for the airport on time.
"I guess this is goodbye." I mumble.
"I guess so." Her voice is so small.
I wrap one hand around the back of her neck and pull her towards me, crashing my lips against hers. There is nothing sensual or sexual about this kiss, only bittersweet goodbye. I pour all of my feelings into this one kiss; it's more than words could ever say. And in return she does the same.
I hold her close, hugging her tightly to my body. "I wish I could stay in this moment forever."
"I'll allow." She says with a forced chuckle.
We break away far to soon and she places on hand gently on my face, cupping my cheek. "Goodbye Peeta."
"Goodbye Katniss."
And with that she turns and walks away. I watch her for a few moments; every step she takes away from me breaks my heart a little more.
She turns her head back to me and I can see the sunlight glinting off her tears. I desperately want to run to her, to take her in my arms and to hold her close. She turns back to me and smiles a heart wrenchingly sad smile and lifts her hand in a small wave.
I raise my own hand in response and feel the tears in my own eyes fall slowly down my cheeks. It's cruel…to meet the most amazing girl for a month only to be separated from her. But I know that I would rather have a month with Katniss then to never meet her at all.
I trudge back to the apartment; my dad and brothers are already waiting with a cab. I jump in and wait for the ribbing to begin. But it never does. My dad looks at me with sad eyes and an apologetic smile. My brothers say nothing thankfully…right now I am in no mood to deal with them. I plug in my headphones and allow myself to wallow in self-pity for the entire flight home.
The rest of the summer before my first year of university was spent with Thresh, Delly, Finnick and Annie. Delly and I are both to the same college; Thresh is staying home to work and Finnick and Annie are both going to a different college only an hour away. Thankfully we will still be close by but once school picks up and the busyness sets in we won't be able to see each other as often. Homework and classes will eventually consume our lives, except winter break and reading week.
We spend the summer, when we aren't working, at the pool or playing games. We go to a few bonfires and drink with friends. Occasionally we hang out at the bar or pub, but usually only for Monday night wing night.
August comes to an end all to soon and we all head off for our respective schools. The dorm life is busy and filled with parties, most of which I don't attend. I prefer to spend a lot of my free time talking to Katniss, we Skype, e-mail and IM. We can go for hours, never in uncomfortable silence but always talking. We talk about our days, I tell her about my courses and my assignments. She always laughs at me when I talk about my assignments, when I complain that they are to hard she jokingly reminds me that I chose this particular form of torture.
Katniss and I agreed to be friends but we rarely talk about any romantic interests in our lives. I know she's seen a few guys, but they never last and she never seems upset about it. In turn I have dated a few girls, but never for more than a few weeks. No matter how hard I try I just can't feel for them what I felt for Katniss.
First year comes and goes. I've made friends at my school; Cato and Marvel are great…a bit arrogant and egotistic but I can ignore that pretty easily. Marvel's girlfriend Clove scared me at first…she's very intimidating and I feel like she could kill me with a knife from a few yards away if she wanted to. But after a while I got used to her and she's become a good friend.
Then there is Glimmer. She's your typical vapid, bottle-blonde. Shallow and vain, and definitely not a lot going on upstairs. She seems to have had a thing for me since the beginning of the year, often she comes knocking on my door drunk and wearing next to nothing. I always redirect her to her room and to the toilet. She's not my type and the few times she's managed to kiss me have been awkward and messy. Her lip-gloss provides a slippery surface that is not kiss friendly and thank goodness for that because I have no desire to kiss those lips…especially considering I know she has at least one one-night stand a week.
I breathe a sigh of relief after my last final of my first year. Then I spend the summer working in the bakery as I always have. Finnick and Annie finally came to realize how much they love each other and started dating in January. I am insanely happy for them, they've always had a thing for each other but never acted on it, but I am also jealous, incredibly jealous. Finnick feels for Annie what I feel for Katniss but he can have his girl and I can't. Finnick and Annie are always good support for me, even if being around them occasionally makes me green with envy.
Dad has been exponentially happier since Mexico. He's like a new man. It warms my heart. He even met a woman, a regular at the bakery. They started dating a few weeks after Mexico. Her name is Ivy, her husband died in a car accident a few years back. She's made my Dad so happy. And she treats my brother's and I like we are already her sons. Her daughter Jen, who is thirteen, is sweet. She reminds me so much of Prim, which in turn reminds me of Katniss. She is already like the little sister I never had.
Second year is so different from the first. I'm no longer a freshman and I can tell. Even though the students coming in are only a year younger than me I can still feel the difference in maturity. They all party constantly and drink themselves into a stupor and then trudge into class looking like something that should star in a zombie apocalypse movie.
The classes are more difficult this year, but nothing I can't handle. The assignments are harder in some ways but easier now that I have a hang on it. I'm not longer trying to figure it all out but instead I am building a lot off of things I already know.
Katniss and I still e-mail regularly. But she rarely has time to Skype any more. She got a new job working down at the Dolphin Adventure. They're training her to work with the dolphins. She loves it, working around the water all the time has made her very happy. She always vents about the customers that come through. All the rich and snobbish people who come in and act like they are the center of the universe. And their spoiled rotten children who won't stop whining about anything and everything as if their life is so deprived. She always says she wishes she could push them right into the pool, completely clothed with their beyond expensive clothing and over abundance of electronics that you shouldn't need on vacation. When her frustration dies down she amends it by saying that there are a lot of sweet kids and nice families who come through as well.
Cato and Glimmer have a brief tryst in the middle of first semester. But unlike her usual flings, Cato ended it before she could. She was definitely jilted but thankfully she has stopped hanging around us as often.
Delly and I have been hanging out a lot more this year. She got tired of her sorority sisters pretty quickly, saying that she just doesn't connect with them as well as she used to. But that's ok; I had missed her last year when she was entirely enveloped in the sorority life. It's been nice having her around again.
At Christmas Dad and Ivy announce their engagement. Naturally I am thrilled for them. They plan on getting married this summer and set out immediately on planning. Since they've both already been married once they want to keep it simple. Nothing over the top, just family and close friends at an outdoor ceremony and reception.
Second semester starts out and I find that there is an odd shift in my friendship with Delly. All of a sudden she's flirtier and touchier than she was before. It comes as a mild shock when she asks me out for Valentines Day. I say yes. Delly is a good friend and no doubt beautiful. We get along well and I figure I should at least give her a chance.
We date for the rest of the semester but I never tell Katniss. I don't know what's stopping me. We agreed to just be friends but still I can't bring myself to tell her that I am dating Delly.
Delly attends my Dad's wedding as my guest. I hold her close for pictures and when we dance. I kiss her lips softly but there is always something missing. There is no fire and no real passion. No matter how hard I wish I could, for her sake, I can't return her feelings for me. So I break it off and we don't see each other again for the rest of the summer.
Finnick and Annie move in together and it comes as no shock what so ever when Finn finally gets down on one knee with a beautiful emerald ring in hand. He had me help set up a very elaborate scavenger hunt that ended in the forest. The sun had already set and Finnick had laid out a beautiful carpet of rose petals and lit tea light candles to create a path and to softly light the small clearing where he was down on one knee waiting for her. All the while I was knelt behind a bush with a video camera, capturing the whole thing. I shed a tear or two, but they were the manliest of tears.
Thresh starts school, at the same place as Delly and I, and it has been nice having him around. Delly avoided us, or rather me, for the first few months but after the awkwardness died down we started seeing each other more and more. Judging by their behavior the past few months I wouldn't be surprised if they started dating. Thresh always goes out of his way to find her and talk to her. Delly always blushes and stutters over her words a bit. I'd be very happy for them if they did decide to date.
Katniss and I still talk. But it has been growing less and less as time goes on. Every few weeks we'll find the time to reply to each other but my life is busy and so is hers. She's finally a full-fledged dolphin trainer and loves her job so much. But it often requires long hours, especially during the big tourist season. However every time I see her name in my inbox a thrill runs through my body. Only she has ever been able to affect me this way. We haven't Skyped since the summer and sometimes I find myself longing even more to see her beautiful face. Sometimes I look back and see how much our communication has diminished and worry that one day we might not talk at all, instead just fade into the history of each other's lives. It saddens me and I know I will try not to let that happen. She has become my closest friend. We tell each other nearly everything despite the little amount we talk. She knows me better than anyone.
School is harder this year. But graduation is so close I can almost taste it. My classes are more work but I push through. The assignments are bigger and harder but that just means more time in the library. It will all work out soon enough.
My twenty-first birthday passes, Finnick jokes about taking me to Vegas to see strippers and such. We both know he isn't serious. He hasn't looked at any girl but Annie since they started dating, and especially since they got engaged. And I have never been able to remove my mind from Katniss. She's always been there, occupying my thoughts.
Markus met a girl at his university. From the sounds of it they are pretty serious although he hasn't brought her home yet. He also hasn't been home in a long time. Dad assumes it's because of the girl, Amy I think her name is.
Graduation approaches quickly. Finals are done and my last assignments are in. Then I accept the expensive piece of paper that says I took a three-year concentration degree in business management and passed. It's a wonderful feeling to finally finish.
I work full time at the bakery now. I think Dad secretly hopes I'll take over soon, now that I have a degree in business management that is. But Finnick and Annie's wedding becomes nearly the focus of the summer. They set the date for June 25th and there is a lot to do before then. They've asked me to do the wedding cake and of course I accepted. It's taken up a lot of my thoughts; I want it to be perfect for them.
And when the day finally arrives it is every bit as amazing as they had planned. They decided to have their wedding in Banff. They wanted the wedding on the shore of the Bow River, with a gossamer canopy. The seats are set and the processional begins. I stand beside Finnick, as best man, and Thresh stands behind me with one of Finnick's frat brothers, Jordan. Annie's nieces prance down the aisle in white summer dresses, tossing rose petals high in the air and giggling as they float down. It takes them a while to reach the front but no one cares because the sight is adorable. Delly comes down the aisle first, followed by Annie's two sisters. When Annie finally comes into view I can hear Finnick sniff beside me. I glance over and see a few tears in his eyes, which are entirely fixed on his bride. Annie floats down the aisle, her soft white dress billows behind her in the light breeze. A giant lily is fixed into her wavy hair, and she carries a few lilies in her hands. She has never looked more beautiful. It's true what the song says 'You look so good in love' and she does. Her green eyes light up when they land of Finnick and they are locked there.
The ceremony is beautiful, but the entire time I feel a pull on my heart that I can't quite explain. The reception commences inside one of the hotel ballrooms, decorated with gossamer fabric, flowers, and twinkle lights. Dinner is delicious and the toasts all pass with laughs and tears. Finnick and Annie both marvel over my cake before traditionally shoving it in each other's faces. Finnick only manages to smear it over one cheek but Annie gets a fair amount up his nose. They laugh and kiss and the cake is served. But then, with the setting sun as their backdrop, Finnick gathers Annie in his arms and they sway beautifully to their first dance. Everyone watches, the cameras flash, but they are completely engrossed in one another.
A brief flash of Katniss, in a white dress on the beach with her normally braided hair loose and wavy, pushes through my mind. My heart beats erratically in my chest and my breath comes short. Realization hits me like a speeding train, I love her.
I love her. It's true. It is so much more than just a deep attraction started by a summer fling. I can never get her off my mind, no girl can ever compare to her and I never want to move on because I am in love with her. I want her to look at me with an all-encompassing love. I want to watch her walk down the aisle towards me, and no one else. I want to watch her drift off to sleep in my arms and wake with her curled against my side with her head on my chest. I want to argue with her and make up with her and I want to make love to her and only her. I want her to be mine alone. She knows me better than anyone and has captured my heart in a way no one else can.
"Peeta?" Annie's voice floats into my mind and interrupts my thoughts. I shake my head clear and look down at her. Her face is contorted with concern. Judging by how much has changed since I watched Finnick and Annie dancing I have missed quite a few songs.
"Huh?" I ask, slightly dazed and confused.
"Are you alright? You've been standing eerily still and have been staring into space with a very strange expression on your face. Is everything ok?"
I take her hand in mine and lead her out onto the dance floor. Finnick is dancing with one of Annie's sisters not far away glancing over with concern in his eyes as well.
"Umm, yeah Annie I'm fine." I mutter as we begin to move to the rhythm of the music.
"Peeta… you looked like you had been hit by a bus…figuratively of course. What's going on?"
"I love her Annie." My voice comes out faraway and dreamy. She looks at me confused.
"Who Peet?" She asks. She knows I haven't been seeing anyone since Delly so naturally she is confused.
"Katniss." My lips caress her name like a precious gem. Annie's eyes open wide in surprise. "I love her. All this time…Annie I can't get her out of my mind. I think about her all the time and I compare every other girl to her. Whenever I get an e-mail from her it makes my day a hundred times better. Whenever I'm upset or happy or proud…or anything it's her that I immediately want to talk to. I want to look at her the way Finnick looks at you and I want her to look at me the way you look at him. I want to see her everyday; I want to know everything about her and her life. I want to be with her."
"Oh Peeta." Annie chokes back a happy sob; she looks at me with tears in her eyes. "You should tell her that." She pulls me into a hug in the middle of the dance floor as the song comes to an end.
"Peeta what are you doing making my bride cry?" Finnick jests as he comes over.
"I didn't mean to!" I jokingly defend.
"What's going on then?" He asks.
"Oh Finnick! Peeta's in love!" Annie giggles.
"Love? With who?"
"Katniss!" Annie nearly shouts before I can even form the word.
Finnick looks at me incredulously. "Really Peet?" I nod shyly as a blush tints my cheeks.
"I know it sounds crazy Finn…"
"It's not crazy Peeta. I'm just glad you finally recognized it. You need to go get her man. You said she lived in Nuevo Vallarta right?" I nod. "We're going to Puerto Vallarta for our honeymoon. You're coming with us. You are going to go find her…then find a hotel because there is no way you are bunking with us." He waggles his eyebrows and winks. Annie flushes a bright shade of crimson and slaps him softly on the arm.
Nervousness and panic quickly sets in and I begin to stutter an excuse.
"No Peet. I'm serious. I'm going to go book you a flight right now. I'm not letting you chicken out of this."
Finnick and Annie sit beside me. The plane sits on the tarmac ready for departure and my heart seems intent on out beating the engine of the plane. My knee bounces rapidly and my stomach churns. The plane takes off and the closer we get the more nervous I feel. When the pilot announces our descent I feel nauseous.
Annie's small hand pushes down gently on my bouncing leg. "Peeta. You need to calm down. It's going to be alright." I give her a small smile.
But what if it isn't. What if she doesn't feel the same way? What if she's already moved on? We never talk about romantic interests…she could be dating someone and I wouldn't even know it. There are so many what ifs. Naturally I'm nervous.
We land and take a cab to Finnick and Annie's hotel. Finnick offers me a good luck before shooing me back into a cab and telling me to go get her. I ask the driver to take me to my uncle's apartment. I had called Haymitch the next day after Finnick and Annie's wedding and told him my predicament. He was glad to let me join him. I pay the driver when he drops me off and I head upstairs.
Haymitch opens to door with a grunt and gives me a familial hug. "Good to see you kid."
"I'm twenty-one Haymitch…hardly a kid." He shrugs and chuckles. I set down my bags and turn to the mirror. My hair is disheveled in the worst way since I've been nervously running my fingers through it. I decide a shower is a good idea.
The warm water relaxes me a bit but soon I know that I have to pull myself together and get a move on.
I pull on fresh clothes and say goodbye to Haymitch on my way out. He offers me his car but I still don't want to brave the roads here. Instead I grab a taxi. I head to the Dolphin Adventure first but they inform me she isn't working this week.
As I wander back to the cab I contemplate my next move. Cinna! Katniss had come to his shop with me a few times and I found out they knew each other. Maybe he'd know. So I give the driver the name of Cinna's shop and the approximate address and once again we fly through traffic.
The shop is empty when I walk through the door. Cinna soon appears from the back, smiling when he recognizes me.
"Peeta! Is that you?" He pulls me into a friendly hug, "How long has it been? Three years? It's so good to see you." He pulls back and looks me over, "Wow you sure have grown up a lot." I laugh, I have changed a lot in the last three years. I lost all remaining body fat, especially the little bit I had in my face that made it appear more childish. And with the wedding Finnick has dragged me along to workout with him, and my body certainly reflects that.
"It's good to see you too Cinna and I'd love to catch up but I'm kind of here for a reason." And so I explain it all to him. His face lights up in a smile and he pats me on the back. He gives me her address and sends me on my way, but only after making me promise to return. I will.
I jump back in the cab and we take off. He pulls up in front of her house and I nervously walk to the door. I wipe my sweaty palms on my pants before raising my hand to knock. I hear movement on the other side and my heart threatens to beat its way into my throat. Soft shuffling and the click of an unlocking deadbolt then the door swings open.
"Peeta!"
Prim's tiny body collides with mine.
"What are you doing here?" She gasps. "Does Katniss know?"
I shake my head and tell her my purpose here.
"Oh my…Peeta!" She cries, her eyes filled with tears and her hands pressed to her lips. She informs me that Katniss isn't here but tells me where I can find her. She hugs me again and all but pushes me out the door.
I apologize to the driver and tell him the next destination. He just laughs and assures me it is no trouble.
When he drops me off at the bar where Prim said Katniss will be tonight I pay him and tip him generously before nervously walking inside. The music thumps loudly in my ears. I recognize it as the same place Rye dragged me to last time. Where I first heard Katniss sing. My eyes begin to search the crowd but I don't see her anywhere.
With a sigh I wander to the bar and order a beer. I move to an open seat and sip my drink, all the while searching for that familiar braid. I thought I spotted it once but it was so brief.
The crowd begins to diminish and I feel my hope wearing thin. I stare down into the crowd and a familiar braid catches my eye. This time I know I didn't mistake it. As if she can feel my eyes on her she turns around but she doesn't see me. She looks even more beautiful than I remember. She looks more mature. Her skin is more tanned than I remember and her hair is a shade or two lighter and longer. Loose tendrils frame her face, some sticking to her face with sweat and the others curling slightly. She's wearing very little makeup and her grey eyes reflect the light in a mesmerizing way.
But then, my heart drops as tall, dark haired, grey-eyed man comes up behind her and taps her shoulder. They could be related, I think fleetingly until he puts an arm around her shoulder and pulls her closer. He places a kiss to her temple, jealousy rages inside of me battling with the threatening heartbreak. She gives him a smile and pushes him off playfully. My breath seems lodged in my throat as I watch their exchange. I want nothing more to go up to them and punch this guy in the jaw. But I won't…if she's happy I'll let her be.
Tall, dark and awful grabs one of her hands and puts his other on her waist before pulling her into a playful dance. She laughs with him and I can almost hear it. It hurts to see her so happy with someone else. I need to get out of here. Watching will only hurt me more.
I put down my beer and attempt to work my way through the mass of bodies and out the door. I catch a few glimpses of her as I wind my way through the crowd. I'm nearly at the door when I see her again. Only this time her eyes catch mine.
We stand, locked in a trance. Her lips form my name but the sound is lost in the music. I force a smile. I compel myself to look away and move towards the door.
The fresh air fills my lungs and I feel like I can breath again. I walk down the path to the beach; the sand is still hot to the touch.
I hear the shuffle of feet behind me and I hope and pray it isn't her. I don't think I could take it if she broke me completely here and now. But at the same time I want it to be her. My traitorous heart wants it to be her.
"Peeta." She murmurs loudly, incredulously.
I turn to face her and an involuntary smile spreads across my face at the sound of my name on her lips.
"Hi Katniss."
"You're here. You're really here." Her voice is astonished.
I nod.
She smiles wide and runs across the sand. I have to step back a few paces to regain my balance when she crashes into me.
"I can't believe you are really here." She whispers against my shoulder.
I put her down and she places a tentative hand to my face. "What are you doing here Peeta?"
"It doesn't matter." I lie. "Shouldn't you get back to your boyfriend?" I can't help the biting tone.
She steps back and looks angry for a second before realization crosses and she bursts into a full body laugh.
"Peeta." She says, gasping for air, "He's not my boyfriend…"
I wish the ground would swallow me whole.
"Gale's like my brother. We grew up together in Winnipeg. He's here on vacation with his wife." She emphasizes the word wife.
"Now why are you really here?" She demands. "Because it is clearly not nothing."
I sigh. "Katniss…I came here to see you. I…I have to tell you something and I couldn't say it over an e-mail." She narrows her eyes in a way that shows she is curious.
"I was at my friends wedding…and I…well I was watching them and they were so happy and so in love. I realized something that day. I had gotten my degree, I was all set up to take over my Dad's bakery, my Dad remarried and was finally happy, my best friends were getting married and everything should have been happy. But part of me wasn't happy. I felt like something was missing, something substantial. I realized…Katniss…I'm in love with you. I never been able to get you out of my mind and every time I talk to you or think about you I can't stop smiling. I want you…I want to be with you. I want to argue with you and make up. I want to be with you when I fall asleep and when I wake up. I love you Katniss."
She stands still, her mouth open slightly. When she has been quiet for an awkward length of time I stutter out, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have come here and sprung this on you. I know you don't feel the same and it was crazy of me to come here unanounc…"
Katniss' lips colliding with my own interrupts my feeble attempts at excusing myself. Her lips move fervently with my own. Our lips dance together and ignite a passion I haven't felt in three years. "Peeta…you talk to much." She mumbles clumsily against my lips before deepening the kiss.
She pulls away and rests her forehead on my chin. "I love you too Peeta. Truth is Gale and Madge dragged me here tonight because they both felt I've been too depressed lately. I couldn't forget you either Peeta. I almost came to find you a few times."
"Why didn't you?"
"My mom is sick Peeta. I couldn't leave her."
"I'm sorry Katniss." I hug her close.
"It's ok Peeta. Her arthritis is just getting really bad and sometimes she has pretty bad dementia. It's getting hard for her to do simple tasks and it's not safe for her to be left alone and Prim is busy with school. Mom will be alright but it is just making life a bit more difficult. That's why I couldn't leave."
"It's alright Katniss. I'm here now so it doesn't matter."
"I want to be with you too Peeta…but how?"
"I'll move here." I state simply.
"Peeta that's crazy!" She exclaims.
"I don't care. I can't be without you any longer Katniss. I love you. We'll figure it out."
"Okay." She breathes.
"Okay…we're really going to do this Katniss?" She nods with a smile on her face.
"You really love me, real or not real?" I ask incredulously.
"Not real." She says with a sly smile.
I grab her wrist and pull her close to me. My arm snakes around her waist as our lips meet again. I laugh into our kiss and I feel her lips turn up in a smile as well.
After that we were never separated again. Dad brought my belongings down here and I temporarily moved into Uncle Haymitch's apartment. I applied for dual citizenship and it was processed fairly quickly. I used my savings, and my inheritance from Dad to open a bakery—which he gave me specifically so that I could pay to build the building with an apartment above it and get the bakery running. The bakery was immediately successful; I managed to open it in a fairly popular tourist location.
Finnick and Annie spent a fair bit of their honeymoon with Katniss and I. She and Annie immediately bonded and they've been out to visit us once a year since then. Finnick's job allows him to purchase discounted airline tickets and they always stay with us.
As soon as the apartment was finished Katniss and I moved in together. Every night we fall asleep together and every morning I wake up before her and I look down and am astonished by how lucky I am. She groans and complains when I leave the bed but always falls right back asleep. I kiss her forehead every morning before I leave for work. We fight and whenever we do I pull her close and kiss her till we are both breathless, then we calm down and talk things out properly. We've been together for two and a half years now and it has been the best years of my life.
I never imagined I could be this happy but tomorrow I will only be happier…because tomorrow I am going to ask Katniss to marry me.