I DO NOT OWN THE HUNGER GAMES! Enjoy chapter 4 Okay so Willow's will be in 3rd person, the others in first for their POV. Also THANKS FOR ALL THE POSITIVE COMMENTS!
Seeing You Again (Katniss)
"Hello Prince Peeta," I said. I was trying not to cry or jump in his arms. I attempted to be calm and mature for my tender age of 21, but I think I came out a little harsh. He would be 24 by now and very sophisticated from growing up in a palace. I wonder if he has a family to care for.
"Oh you can just call me Peeta, I mean we were on first name basis before," he smiled. Leave it to him to be funny. There was an awkward silence before he started talking. "I'm really sorry," he started. "I was just walking in the woods and I heard some Mockingjays and they led me to an amazing willow tree so I started sketching then I saw her and she fell so I tried to help her," he pointed to Willow, "but then she ran screaming and I'm sorry."
I giggled a bit because after that he was completely breathless. "Would you like to come in and catch up?" I asked. I was trying to act really mature now, but seeing him reminds of how we were when we first met.
He aged really well. He got a lot taller, but I am not so tall myself. His hair darkened from the light blonde to a golden sun color, but his eyes still looked the same: hope and joviality mixed together. He had a bit of stubble on his square jaw line that was so chiseled.
"I would love to," he replied quickly. I couldn't stop blushing. As we walked into the main entrance of the house, Willow squirmed out of my arms to go play with her toys that she left on the ground. We walked to the table beside the room so I could watch Willow. I offered him a seat and shooed the others away, yet Haymitch stuck around just in case. I walked over to the kitchen and brought out a kettle of tea and two cups.
"So how has everything been in the kingdom?" I asked nonchalantly. He smirked and started to smile at me the way he used to. I poured the tea in cups and offered cream and sugar but he denied them.
"Oh come on Katniss," he whined. "Stop trying to avoid the giant elephant in the room." He paused for a second and barely whispered, "I know that your little girl is mine too." I stopped drinking my tea and put it down. I looked over at Willow who was playing with a small doll Prim got for her 3rd birthday. She still had that small, pink blanket clutched in her hand as she brushed the small toy's hair.
"So, it's not a big deal," I answered back. I was very irritated by his presence. He knew how to push my buttons. I looked away from him but he just gawked at me like I just shot him in the arm. I was very content with the way I said that. It's game on now and I just started.
"Not a big deal!" he yelled. I told him to quiet down so Willow doesn't think that I'm threatened. She hates when I am vulnerable, it's like she has a sixth sense. "Are you kidding me, really?" he asked clearly irritated. I avoided looking at him in the eye while I continued to stir my tea even thought the sugar was already dissolved. "Okay, like 20 minutes ago I found out that the love of my life isn't dead and that I've been a father for 3 years without knowing. How am I supposed to act?" he started laughing maniacally. "Oh I know you are playing one of those games. Well okay 2 can play at this game." He arrogantly drank his tea and ignored me as much as possible. But everyone knows who's more stubborn. Thirty seconds later, he cracked.
"Fine, you win," he said in defeat. "I would just like to know my daughter because I lost 3 years of her life and I don't want to miss anymore," he said. He grabbed my hand and put it on his mouth before speaking again. "I want to know what happened to you, one day we were looking at the stars, then you were gone the next." I saw the pain in his eyes so I gave in. I couldn't deny his puppy dog eyes and crooked smile.
"Fine," I start, "her name is Willow. Her birthday is August 15th, she was born 3 years ago, and she was 7 lbs. 8oz. She loves to hunt and sing, but has a temper and a super kind heart" He looked over my shoulder to see her. She was asleep and covered her arms with the blanket as she sucked her thumb.
"She's beautiful like her mother," Peeta said. He has such a way with words. I could tell that he really loved her even though they met on the wrong foot. Then he looked back at me with a serious face and asked, "Why did you leave me? I thought you loved me and now you're here raising my daughter without me? How?" He was confused but I was not going to be talked to that way.
"Excuse me?" I was getting angry now. "I didn't leave you because I wanted to. Your mom forced me leave and actually I'm not even allowed to be here. Also for your information I was going to tell you that I was pregnant, but your mom found out and that is why she pushed me out of your life!" I was crying now and nothing could stop me. "Why what kind of sorry excuse did she tell you?" My cries were reduced to sniffles, but I still kept the harshness in my tone.
"I am sorry I didn't know," he continued, "She told me you left because you didn't like me." He looked sincerely sorry. I wasn't going to forgive him that easily though.
"You knew how I felt about you," I accused. "We both know and you were stupid enough to believe her why would you doubt me…" By the time I knew what he was doing, he already moved to my side and kissed me to stop me from talking. I melted to his lips the way I did when I was 12. It was perfect. I missed kissing him and having someone hold me and tell me that I was beautiful.
He cut off the kiss, "I never doubted you, but you're right I was so stupid for believing her," he said breathlessly and kissed me again. I stopped kissing him for a second because there is one question I have been dying to ask.
"Are you married?" I asked quietly. He just laughed and kissed me again and I think he said no. I felt relief rush over me the way it did when I was younger and I was happy that Peeta was back, but I wasn't ready to fall head over heels for him again. We continued talking about the kingdom and how I was doing here when Willow woke up and ran to me. She stuck her thumb in her mouth; she only did this while she was sleeping or if she was nervous.
Peeta took her free hand, but she pulled it back and I just giggled while braiding her hair back. The pearl he gave me became exposed as I braided her soft hair. Peeta slowly got up came around the table and crouched close to Willow. He touched it and looked up at her. For a stranger Willow was quite calm because she would usually be fussy and cry around new people, but she looked Peeta straight in the eye. Peeta touched her hair and said, "Hi Willow, I'm Daddy." Her eyes brightened up and she touched his face, but did not go near him because she was still skeptical about the idea of "daddy".
After a few more minutes of talking Peeta got up and said, "I need to go, but I'll be back every day to see my 2 girls." Then he left through the door. Having Peeta in my life might be a good thing, but if I lose him again, I don't know what Willow and I would do.
