A/N: SORRY! This was supposed to be up last week, but my computer Internet broke down, and the ones at the library don't take flash drives Sorry again! I hope you like this chapter though. Thank you to the incradible fanbase I have out there, you guys are seriously amazing!
~Mock
When Peeta wakes me up the next day, the train is no longer moving. I look out the window, and I see a beach. We have arrived in District 4.
I pick up Electra, who is still asleep, and we meet up with Annie, Johanna, and Finn. We are greeted by a blistering heat. Annie gives Finn to Johanna and runs straight to the water. She jumps off the low wall, and for a moment I'm worried about her, but her head breaks through the water, and there is an expression of pure happiness on her face. I've only seen this look when she was with Finnick, or when she's with Finn.
"Come!" Annie shouts from the water. Johanna looks at me, a smile on her lips.
"We will once we get all this stuff in your house!" Johanna yells back at her. Annie nods and dives beneath the water again.
Annie's house is in Victor's Village of course, which is about five minutes away from the beach. I'm startled at the extreme difference in her house and mine. We both have houses in a Victors Village, but hers is so much… lovelier. The layout is different, only one story. Everything seems to be centered around the ocean. It's the most beautiful place I have ever been, besides Electra's room.
Johanna leads us to one of the bedrooms. Peeta puts Electra's cradle in place, and Johanna puts Finn down on the bed. She leaves for a couple of minutes to get us sheets, and I put Electra in her cradle so I can help Peeta unpack. It gives me something to do, to distract my mind from District 12, where it's been since I woke up.
"Let's go!" Johanna yells as she comes back in. I'm momentarily confused, but then remember Annie at the beach. Peeta picks up Electra and Johanna grabs Finn by the hand.
When we arrive at the beach, Annie is deep out in the water, looking very much at home. Johanna goes right in after her, but I hesitate. Peeta looks at me, and I know we're thinking the same thing.
"Go on Katniss," he says. "I can't swim very well anyway, and someone has to watch the kids." I give him a quick kiss of thanks and quickly submerge myself in the water.
I haven't swam in such a long time, not since the Quarter Quell. The salt water seems to support me better then the fresh water of the lake. Johanna quickly swims out to meet Annie, but I stay in the shallow water where I can put my head back and simply float on the water, pretend for a while that this is just a vacation…
How long I'm in the water I don't know. But when Johanna is grabbing my arm and my eyes fly open, I see the sun beginning to set over the water's edge.
"You know, the water's not such a good place for a girl on fire," Johanna says in a mocking tone. I roll my eyes at her and we swim back to the shore together.
Annie stands there to greet us. She gives a violent shiver, and quickly starts walking to her house. Johanna and I follow her.
When we get to the house, I see Peeta giving Finn a few small crackers. Finn bites on them with the few teeth that are starting to come in.
I throw my arms around the back of Peeta's neck with enough force to nearly knock him over. He quickly spins around so that we're facing each other, and crushes me into his chest. Out of the water, I remember why I'm here, and Peeta's chest is a great comfort for me.
A crying nearby snaps my face free. I immediately recognize the crying as the sound of my daughter.
"She must have just woken up," murmurers Peeta. He rushes into a nearby room, and I quickly follow him.
Electra calms down once she sees us. Despite the situation, to have my daughter recognize Peeta and I brings a smile to my lips. Peeta lifts her out of the crib and kisses her on the forehead, then wraps his free arm around my shoulders. It's a comforting feeling.
"DINNER!" we hear Johanna yell from the next room. I want to ignore her, but Peeta starts walking towards the sound of her voice, and I can't bear to leave him.
Johanna is standing over a pot on the counter top. As I come closer, I see she is ladling a soup of some sort into four bowls. The bowls are ceramic, with designs of waves on them.
Finn is in a high chair next to the table, banging a plastic spoon against the small table-like thing in front of him. There is an empty high chair next to his, and I assume it's for Electra. I take her from Peeta as he helps Johanna with the food.
Annie comes up to me, and she has changed into fresh, warm clothes. "Extra clothes are in the closet," she says, pointing down the hall. "Can I hold Electra while Katniss changes?"
I hesitate for a moment. It's not that I don't trust Annie, but I loathe to have Electra out of my sight for even a second. Taking a deep breath, I smile at Annie.
"Sure," I say, transferring Electra into Annie's waiting arms. Annie immediately begins to make cooing noises at my daughter, and I feel confident they'll be alright.
Finding the closet where the clothes are, I hurry into a bathroom to change. I quickly peel off my wet clothes and change into a white, short sleeved shirt and some light blue, lightweight sweats. Annie and I are roughly the same size, so the clothes fit me well.
Back in the kitchen, Annie still has Electra, so I take her and set her in the high chair. Peeta hands me a bowl of soup, and Johanna gives Annie one. The soup isn't hot like I expected, but rather cool and minty. It's delicious. I see Johanna watch for my reaction warily.
"It's not Peeta's, but it'll do," I tease her. She just rolls her eyes at me, muttering something about how nothing can please me unless Peeta does it.
While we eat, Peeta shows me what he was doing while I swam. One is a drawing of me, out in the water. The second is of Electra and Finn, Electra on someone's lap, Finn smiling at her.
"I have a feeling they'll end up being friends. Seeing as they're going to spend most of there childhood together," Peeta whispers in my ear.
"You know, I really hate it when you do that," interrupts Johanna.
"And I really hate it when you always ruin the moment," I shoot back at her. She shrugs, no sign of regret in her features. Not that I was expecting any.
Peeta, of course, seems completely unaffected. It's surprising how little it bugs him.
Later that night, away from everyone else, I come out of the bathroom and into the bedroom I'll be using while at Annie's. I've changed into pajamas, and I quickly get under the covers. They, like everything else, are lightweight and are soft colors.
Peeta walks into the room, shirtless. He sets a sleeping Electra in her crib, then climbs into bed next to me. I quickly lay my head on his chest, the steady beating of his heart a sweet comfort to me.
"How are you adjusting?" he asks me softly, stroking my hair.
"Well, as long as I can pretend it's just a vacation, I've been able to survive," I whisper back. Absentmindedly, I begin to trace the perfect planes of Peeta's chest with one of my fingers. He takes a deep breath and closes his eyes. My own eyes close too, but my hand continues its journey.
Neither of us fall asleep. For a while we just lay here, finding comfort in each other. Peeta slips one of his arms under my head, so I can use it like a pillow. That hand starts tracing circles in my hair.
"How long do you think we'll be here?" I whisper after a while. Peeta shrugs, and I can guess he wants to live in this moment for as long as he can. A small smile creeps onto my lips, and I consent.
In my dream, Peeta and Electra are in a fire. Electra looks a little bit older, and a small boy is with them as well. I immediately recognize my Luke.
I can only stand there as they burn, and the fire gives off a revolting reek of roses. I gag, and scream for my family. My family, who I would do anything to keep safe, is burning in front of my eyes.
"Katniss! Wake up, wake up! You're here, you're safe, we're all safe!" Peeta's voice jars me back into reality. Where nothing is burning, and I don't have a son. Only a daughter, whom I love with all my heart.
My eyes fly open, and I find myself being cradled in Peeta's arms. Electra has miraculously slept through my thrashing and screaming. Seeing them safe, I begin to calm down.
"Do you want to tell me what you saw?" Peeta asks quietly once I am coherent enough to talk.
"You and Electra and Luke, you were all burning right in front of me, and there was nothing I could do. I can't let that happen, I can't. I don't want anything more than for you to be safe-all of you," I choke out, my voice cracking on the last word.
Peeta kisses my forehead in reassurance. "You really love Luke, don't you?" he whispers.
"And you really want another kid, don't you?" I whisper back. Peeta nods fervently, a slight pleading creeping into his eyes. I am powerless against it.
Heavily sighing, I mutter, "All right then."
"What was that?" Peeta asks. I glare at him, unable to believe he has convinced me to go through with this again.
"We can have another kid. But this will be the last one. And I want to wait for at least a few months," I grumble reluctantly. A look of happiness comes over Peeta's face, and I know I made the right decision. I would do anything for Peeta's happiness.
"Thank you," he whispers, kissing me. I kiss him back, then drift off to sleep, the promise of Luke fresh in my mind.
A/N: OK, so I'm going to try to update every Friday, but please understand if I can't. This summer has been CRAZY and a bunch of things are coming up last minute. Thank you so much for sticking through with this story, it means more to me than you will ever know. Every "Favorite Story" or "Story Alert" or "Review Alert" makes me so happy, and I can't thank you enough. Until next time (hopefully Friday!).
Oh, and if you haven't already, vote on my poll I have up on my profile! What type of story should I write after this (not that this story is going to end anytime soon)
~Mock