He sits their on the stool.
Rowan, my sweet Rowan. Only, he's much smaller, and he eats a cupcake. Suddenly I'm taken back to the day we decided to tell the kids and my head is spinning. Willow guides me up the steps, first looking like herself, then as she did at six. Her braids sitting on either side of her face.
"Mom?" she says worriedly. I feel my head spinning and I find myself leaning on her. Rowan notices and gives me the same look.
"Dad!" he calls. Peeta walks in and he looks just as worried as our children.
"Katniss," he says. "Katniss!" I don't respond because for some reason, I can't. My head is buzzing and I feel lightheaded. He grabs my arm and shoos Willow away.
"Peeta," I say. "I don't feel well."
"Katniss, it's okay. Everything will be fine. I think you just need to lie down, this used to happen a lot more often, remember?"
"I know," but before he can respond I've fallen.
"Mom!" I hear Willow cry just before my vision is taken away.
"She's fine, Peeta." Johanna?
"I know that this used to happen to her a lot when she was younger. But it's been years. I thought she was over this."
"Peeta. You honestly thought this whole thing would go smoothly? Even Leo knew that someone would end up here, in the hospital."
"I know, Jo. But I didn't think it'd be Katniss. I thought it'd be me."
"Yeah, well, she had to go through some serious shit, too. Maybe not as drastic as you yours, but from the day she volunteered at the reaping her life was hell."
"I just wish that I could take it all away, all the pain. But I know that no one can."
Finally I have the strength to speak, "Peeta?"
He snaps in my direction and hurries over to me, "Katniss! Are you okay, should I get a nurse?"
"I'm okay. I guess you never really had to sit and wait for me to wake up before."
"No, I haven't. I hope this is the last time I have to."
"Alright, let's go." I get up, pulling out everything attatched to me, causing a faint beeping, and putting on my clothes.
"Shouldn't we wait for a nurse?" he asks worriedly. Johanna and I exchange a look and both laugh.
"It's okay, I'm fine, let's go home."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah, I always used to pull 'em out. I'm alive and well, stop worrying."
We walk down the hall and find the kids sitting in the waiting room.
"I don't know how you could handle it when I was in that crazy room." Peeta says.
I give him a quick kiss, "Me niether."
"Mom!" Willow and Rowan exclaim when they see us. Annie and Leo aren't as worried as the kids but they stand up to greet us.
"I'm fine, guys." I become aware of chuckling behind me. Johanna.
"Guys, this has happened a million times. We just left, it's all fine."
"Wait, did you check with a nurse?" Willow is just like her father.
"No, but it's okay. Let's go finish watching those tapes."
On the walk back everyone is silent and I get the feeling that Johanna and Annie already started watching the games. Annie has the same look in her eyes as she did when she was sitting in her own games, the last one alive. She twists a piece of hair with both hands, Finn's arms around her. He's just like his father, always looking out for Annie. Peeta wraps his arm around me and I lean on him a little. I tilt my head up to speak to him but I don't say anything. I can't, it'd break the silence and I don't feel like doing that right now.
Finally inside, we go our separate ways silently, but not before Annie hugs me. She smiles with tears in her eyes, "Finn saw him. He saw his father."
I smile, "That's great. Have you begun watching the games?" she nods.
"I'll leave you guys...Good luck," she says, turning and walking to the room with Finn.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Peeta asks again, glancing at our kids on the other side of the room in front of the TV.
"Yeah, it uh, it used to happen left and right. It was usually from bleeding too much, but I guess I got a little overwhelmed or something." I say. Peeta reaches out and cups my face, his other hand at my waist.
"You love me real or not real?" he whispers.
"Real." I tell him, hugging him tightly.
"Good. Because I love you, too, and I know we can get through these tapes. If we can live it, we can defenitely see it in action."
"You're right." With that, we go sit at the couch with our children.
Hey guys, so sorry that I've been slacking with writing. But I thought I'd let you know that I have a tumblr where I'll start posting stuff on when I'll update next. My username is fangirlpeeniss...I know, but that's just who I am :D. So go follow if you want to know when I post new chapter! Sorry they didn't watch the tapes in this chapter, but we all knew this was coming, right? Anyone wanna beta? PM me if you want or if you feel like pitching an idea! I love you, shoot for 50 reviews?
