Better with you by my Side -chapter: 4
a/n hi are you doing . thank you sooooooooooo much for all your feedback. you truly are living legends. Without further ado here is Chapter 4.
Katniss's POV
"Seriously, I'm just fine. There are people far worse than me ". I keep on telling the doctors who insist on checking me over again and again. I woke up briefly when we landed in thirteen only to be knocked out again by the doctors in the hospital wing. Peeta and I didn't turn out to badly, he fracturing his wrist when he pulled the two of us down and I got some bruising on my neck from when we hit the ground. It really was nothing in comparison to some of the injuries we sustained during the games. Some of the other soldiers are nursing shot limbs , so I was just insisting that they discharged me considering I wasn't too bad just still sore and bruised. They however wouldn't hear of it and proceeded to knock me out again.
I feel myself going in and out of some sort of drug induced haze until I finally come to and find myself in the hospital in 13. The first thing I notice is a throbbing pain in my neck and chest. Suddenly, the curtain between my bed and the one next to me gets pulled back and I find myself face to face with the one and only Johanna Mason. " I'm alive" I whisper rustily. Johanna cackles."No shit, Brainless". She walks over and plonks down on the bed next to me while smiling at me wincing in pain and detachs the morphing drip in my arm and plugs it into her own so skillfully and not fumbling slightly it's obvious she has done it before."You know what, Brainless?. I think they were on to something in 6. Drug yourself out and paint flowers on your body. They seemed happier then the rest of us anyway.".
In the weeks since I've left 13, she's gained some weight back and a soft down of hair has sprouted from her head. But if she's 'borrowing' other patients morphling, she's struggling. "They've got this head doctor. A complete idiot. He keeps on telling me I'm totally safe ". I smirk. It really was such a stupid thing to tell a victor or anyone else really. As if such a state of being ever existed."What about you, Little Miss Mockingjay. do you feel totally safe"."Oh yeah, definitely right up to the point where Peeta and I almost got killed again". Johanna smirks."Nothing new is it and anyway you weren't in any danger, Cinna saw to that". Of course, the mockingjay suit!. She continues" It's everyone's job to keep you alive, Brainless". "I that why you hate me so much". Johana thinks about it cor a second."Partly, that and your tacky romance and defender of the helpless act, which wasn't an act after all which makes you twice as cheesy and unbearable. Feel free to take this personally". I laugh"you should have been the mockingjay,nobody would have fed you lines". Johanna considers it "Naah, nobody likes me likes me". I smirk"They're afraid of you, though". "True, but they're scared of you too".
We stay silent for a moment. "Do you know where Peeta is?" I ask her. " Yeah,Dough Boy is around somewhere. They got rid of him when he woke up, he'probably still outside, though". I throw her my signature death glare while she laughs. A few minutes and insults later,Peeta walks in. Johanna smirks when he sits down at my other side and takes my hand with his good hand after saying hello to Johanna who smirks and says. "Separately, I can put up with either of you for a while but together, it's just too much to even be considered eye candy" She stops for a moment but continues"No actually, you're slightly easier to put up with Dough Boy, even though you're a real lovesick pup but we are old friends and are familiar with each others screams. She then cackles and leaves after reattaching my drip.
I smile at Peeta and he slides the hair falling into my face behind my ear. Even though I notice that his eyes have become clouded after being reminded of his time spent in The Capitol. I drop my head on his shoulder and he turns to look at me his bright azure eyes filled with concern"Are you okay, Mellark" I ask him playfully trying to lighten his mood, but when has cheering up somebody been my strong suit, it was and is always after all Peeta's department. "I'm sorry that you got hurt,Kat" he says quietly while stroking my cheek. I laugh slightly. It was so typical of Peeta to take credit for me getting mildly injured when he was trying to save me. I guess its what we do. "You saved me,Peeta. I could've gotten shot easily". Peeta smiles"I guess that's what we do, Everdeen". I take his hand and squeeze it tightly"That's about right. We protect each other no matter what, it's just what we do". Peeta nods and adds whispering into my ear even though no one was around"Always".I smile and pull him towards me despite my discomfort and wrap him in a tight embrace as if sealing our promise to each other that truly was made years ago in the rain.
The doctors discharge me a few hours later and Peeta and I head to the cafeteria for what was left of dinner. Prim and my mother seem to have left already l so we take a seat with Gale, Thom, Delly and Matthew. I didn't know they knew each other but I guess being in 13 just brought the survivors of 12 closer. Peeta begins to chat with Delly and Matthew. When Gale acknowledges we've sat down next to him. "Hey Catnip". He eyes the bruising on my neck."You've got to stop getting yourself into trouble, Catnip". "I know, but someone blew up a mountain"I answer. "Katniss, what's the difference between killing our enemies in a mine or blowing them out of the sky with an arrow". The rest of the table falls silent as well as several of the tables around it. But I don't care. "Gale, with that kind of thinking you could justify sending kids into The Hunger Games to keep the districts in line". "I don't buy that and we did secure 2 so I don't regret it" he adds angrily. I turn my back to him as he does to me and he goes back to talking with Thom. "You know, Katniss" says Matthew. "They're wasn't much fighting after they knocked you and Peet out. "Really" I ask. "Yep, everybody just stood and watched". Peeta laughs humourlessly"Well, that's what they do best, isn't it".
Plutarch has me back making Propos two days later. I congratulate the districts on their successful battle for unity and I tell the Capitol to expect us soon. "Well, "I ask Plutarch, what's next?"."Coin wants an entertainment Propo soon, after all nothings better than a good wedding". Peeta and I look at each other in dread. Neither of us are ready to get married to and if Peeta ever convinces me to get married for real, we don't exactly want it to be for a propo for the rebellion.
Finnick who was also starring in the propo chuckles at the looks on mine and Peeta's face. "Naah guys, Coin is not getting you to tie the knot yet. I proposed to Annie while you guys were in 2". "Jeeze Finn, Congratulations" laughs Peeta."Why didn't you tell us". Since we've been back in 13 Peeta and Finnick have been roommates so Annie and I have been regulars during the night coming into the compartment at all hours to sleep over. "Sorry. Kinda slipped my mind and I might have wanted to see your faces when Plutarch brought it up". Peeta chuckles and shakes his head while I give Finnick a half hearted scowl even though I'm really happy for him and Annie. They really do deserve it after everything. Plutarch walks off to talk to Cressida and Haymitch."Hey, would you guys like to be in the wedding party. Considering us victors really only have each other in terms of family and I kind of need a best man and another bridesmaid.."Finnick begins to ramble but Peeta cuts him off. "I'd be happy to, Finnick. Thanks man". Finnick grins and turns to me "Katniss?". I consider it for a couple of seconds. I suppose us victors are some strange type of family after all. "Alright,I'll do it". Finnick grins from ear to ear, delighted. "Ah, if you're getting all the victors envolved. How are you going to convince Haymitch and Johanna"I ask. "After a hell of a lot of convincing on Annie's part but Haymitch is walking her down the aisle and Johanna is being maid of honour. I took the easy option of asking you two". I laugh but I'm not suprised. Haymitch is a sort of father figure to sll of us younger victors and Johanna is just...Johanna.
The next few days bring a flurry of activity as the event is planned. The difference between the capitol and 13 are thrown into sharp relief by the event. When Coin says "wedding" she means two people signing a piece of paper and being assigned a compartment. Plutarch mean hundreds of people dressed in finery and feasting for three days. It's amusing to watch them haggle over the slightest of details while Finnick and Annie just smile at each other in delight. It seems all of 13 is talking about the upcoming event and all the children volunteer to sing the District 4 wedding song. Plutarch had a complete fit over what Finnick and Annie were going to wear so Peeta and I volunteered to take them back to our houses in 12, where Cinna and Portia had left a variety of evening wear in big storage cupboards in the basements of our houses.
Annie and I head for the basement after I unlock the door of my house. She tries on several dresses and decides on a silk sea green dress I wore in 5. I wasn't expecting the whole experience to be emotional but it was considering the man who designed these magnificent dresses was no longer with us. Annie thanks me upside down and downside up for the dress but really I'm just happy to help her and Finnick, after all us victors are some weird dysfunctional family. Finnick and Peeta show up a while later grinning from ear to ear, Finnick holding a suit bag. Annie rushes into the bathroom when she hears them coming down the stairs due to some superstition that has been around since before The Dark Days, that it's bad luck if the groom sees the bride's dress before the wedding. It's a whole lot of rubbish in my opinion as it's only another dress after all. Peeta grins and winks in my direction and comes over and wraps his arms around me from behind. Finnick goes to open the door of the bathroom to find it locked. "Ann, let me in". He whines like a toddler, pawing the outside of the door. "Finnick Maxwell Odair, don't you dare even try to get in here" Annie shrieks from the other side of the door. Finnick continues to pout until she comes out the door and pecks him on the cheek. The four of us leave Victor's Village and stroll back to the hovercraft.
On the day of Annie and Finnick's wedding 13 is buzzing. The three hundred lucky guests congregated for the ceremony and the party afterwards. Decorations made of foliage were hung up and most of the guests are dressed in their everyday clothes. The ceremony is to be conducted by the cow man from district 10 as it is fairly similar to the ceremony in his home district although there is a few changes made to the ceremony that are obviously District 4 traditions like the fact that a fine fishing net is to be thrown over Annie and Finnick during the ceremony and that they are supposed to spread salt water on each others lips. When Annie comes down the aisle Finnick's face just simply lights up. I genuinely feel really happy for the two people to who previously this day was virtually impossible. I look across at Peeta who is beside Finnick at the other side of the platform. He grins at me and winks. I smile back at him and turn my attention back to Finnick and Annie. Finnick and Annie promise to stay together forever and they say their vows. Annie was really nervous this morning and Johanna and I didn't have a clue how to calm her down so Mom and Prim had to come to the rescue. She seems more than oksy now. She and Finnick are in floods of tears of happiness.
"Well Everdeen, are you gonna dance with me" Peeta asks me a few hours after the fiddler from 12 struck up a tune and the people were flooding on to the dance floor. I was really glad everybody was really happy and joyful for it isn't too often when people are having this much fun. But me dancing?."Not a hope, Mellark" I counter, "I don't do that very well". Peeta grins and drags me on to the dance floor. I pretend to pout"I hate you" I tell him."Naah, you don't. You love me"he says."You're awfully sure of yourself, Mellark" I say. "Of course I am" he laughs as I wrap my arms around his neck and he wraps his around my waist. It isn't exactly how Effie taught us to walz last year but I prefer it this way."Oh well, I suppose I do love you" I say pretending to give in. Peeta smiles and goes with it. "I totally knew it, Everdeen. I love you too". I laugh and lean in kissing him full on the lips, him responding immediately. I'm suprised that we can be so happt considering all that's going on. That's when the cameras find us in the crowd. I gently pull away from Peeta not wanting to find ourselves kissing for the camera again. Now, our relationship is for us and only us. We wave at the camera and it turns away from us again. Finnick and Annie just smile at each other in love and disbelief all evening. I spot Prim over at the other side of the dance floor with Rory. I shoot the boy a warning glance when he looks over. "Are you trying to terrify that poor kid, Kat" Peeta asks me. " I just making sure Rory keeps his hands to himself. I would literally kill him if he upset Prim" I answer. "Well Prim is lucky to have such an awesome and protective big sister". I laugh and lay my head back on his shoulder. Gale and Cressida have been together all evening, if they are just friends or if something else is going on I'm not sure
The music stops later on and a huge cake with bright blue icing with dolphins, seals and ships gets wheeled out on some sort of cart. It was as obvious that the cake was frosted by Peeta as it was that Annie's dress was one of Cinna's creations. I smile knowingly at Peeta."Why didn't you tell me". "Finnick made me promise"he tells me. Suddenly, I hear my earpiece come to life "Sweetheart, I need you and Peeta to come and find me, You're not going to the Capital.
a/n I really hope you guys enjoyed that. Now, out of curiosity, Who do you guys ship more: Gressida or Prory. let me know. Review please, it literally means soooooooooooooooooooooòooooooooooooooooooooooo much. The next chapter will be up next week as usual. Don't hesitate to PM me if you have any questions. Until next time folks?