That Was Then, This Is Now

by KatPeeta23

Two childhood friends, Peeta and Katniss, fall in love without knowing. When tragedy strikes they get separated, Peeta eleven and Katniss ten, not knowing whether one another is alive. When they meet again, it's Katniss and Johanna;s twenty third birthday. Katniss and Peeta rejoin and fall in love

11. Chapter 11

"Two weeks!" Effie exclaims. I'm lying on Prim's couch with Chase and I refuse to give him up. He's lying on my chest and he's holding onto my index finger with on hand and is sucking his thumb with the other.
"Two weeks." I repeat.
"Come on guys, please? Help us?" Peeta asks.
Always the sweet talker.
"Fine. Okay, fine!" Effie stands up and pulls her notebook from her bag. "I need a budget."
"Peeta, you can choose that." Chase starts crying. I know he needs changed. Prim starts to get up.
"No. You deprived me for three days. You can sit down and stay there." I say. I take Chase to the nursery and change his diaper, and his clothes to the auntie one that I sewed my name into and cradle him back to sleep. Then I go back to the living room and lay back down.
"Okay, fine. Where do you want the wedding?" Peeta asks.
Central Park. That's where we got separated and for some reason, it makes sense to have it there.
"Central Park?" Peeta asks.
"You took the words right out of my mouth."

...9...

I'm dragged all over the city for a week straight. Peeta hardly helps because the groom never really does. Prim is my Maid of Honor, Johanna is my matron of honor, Annie is my number one Bridesmaid, Faith is my number two bridesmaid, and Opal is number three. Peeta set Finnick as the best man, Rye as number one groomsmen, Graham as number two, and Brandon, his cousin, as number three.
The wedding is December nineteenth. We're not having a honeymoon. We are staying home for Christmas this year and everyone is coming to us.
Friday night, when I get home from getting my dress, getting it size and everything, one week before the wedding, Peeta takes me out and we get our tree.
Together, we rearrange the living room and put up the tree while listening to music. We wrap the tree in lights, and he begins to string my in lights. I'm laughing up a storm. He turns them on and lights me up. Then he shuts off every light in the house and pulls the curtains. He takes a picture of me and I pose for him.
We both are smiling and playing around. We decorate the tree, and then just stare at it. I've been going all day, and we haven't had sex in a full week which has never happened since I got this ring on.
I yawn, because I'm exhausted.
"I think I'm gonna go to bed." I say.
"Me too." He follows me. I know he's missing having sex with me, but I'm not going to unless he tries something. I lay down and he just sighs and stares into my eyes. "I love you," he gives me a gentle kiss. We haven't had a real kiss in a week either. I get up at dawn and get home at ten or eleven and pass out. We have little pecks goodbye. He must be thinking the same thing as me.
"I love you too," I whisper. He stares at me again, and then he kisses me, much more frantic, almost as if he thinks I'm going to push him away. I melt into the kiss, and things begin to intensity.

...9...u

My alarm goes off at six, and I really just want to stay in his arms forever. He gives me a long, gentle kiss. I sigh and get up, pulling on clothes and my jacket, brushing my teeth and hair after downing some bread. I give him a kiss goodbye, and then head out.
I'm dragged all over. I get the flowers taken care of and everything else. I get home at midnight and fall asleep on the couch.

I wake in bed to my alarm. I kiss Peeta goodbye, and with a sigh, I head out again.

...9...

Before I know it, it's Wednesday night. The whole family is here. All the guys are going to Finnick's and then tomorrow to the bachelor party except for Chase and us girls are staying here.
"Alright, get out." Effie exclaims. I give Peeta a long, sweet kiss goodbye.
"See you at the altar." He smiles and heads out.
"I love you too!" I shout. I laugh and lay down.
"Can you believe it Katniss! You're getting married!" Prim exclaims.
"Love you!" He calls. Tomorrow is the bachelorette party, too.
"I know," I smile.
Peeta and I actually invited Gale and his fiancé, because we wanted to. We invited everyone from my high school except for Glimmer, and everyone from his high school, too.

...$...

Johanna forces me into some slutty outfit and they all pull me to a strip club. I'm getting married tomorrow and I'm flipping out.
My family were idiots for putting Johanna in charge of this. A ton of guys in hardly any clothes are doing very inappropriate things. Gale is babysitting all if the kids with his fiancé, and much to Prim's reluctance, Chase too.
The club gets shut down for just us. Johanna keeps getting me grinded upon by guys and I try my best to ignore, because it's very distracting.
"Katniss, come on!" Prim exclaims. "You can move! Work that ass! We won't tell Peeta!" All the girls shout in agreement with Prim.
I really don't want to.
"Come on! He won't get mad! He's probably doing the same shit you are!"

PEETA'S POV

Finnick forces me to go along with the girls grinding against me.
I really just hope Katniss doesn't hate me when I tell her.

KATNISS'S POV

I hate this. I stand there awkwardly as three guys try to hard to get me moving.
I hope Peeta doesn't hate me after this...
I begin to get so uncomfortable that I just move with them to one, shut up the girls and to try and get these fuckers away from me.
"I'll move with you, but if you kiss me or do anything other than this, I'll break your fucking necks, understand boys?" I demand.
"Yes Ma'am!" They chant together. The girls are screaming as I return the nasty favor, and after a while, Johanna saves me and takes my spot. She doesn't care she's dating Blight. She let's go, and it's hilarious to watch.
A lot of the girls that are single pay to get treated, and it's honestly disgusting to hear about. I sit down next to Prim.
"This is gross." I admit.
"But are you having fun?" She asks.
"Yes, but still..." I say.

...9...

We stay in a hotel down the street from the strip club. I know Peeta is staying across the street. All the girls are fast asleep, but I'm nervous and excited and lonely without Peeta. I rise and go onto the balcony.
After nearly an hour, I know I'm not ding any favors for Cinna tomorrow, because he's doing my hair and makeup. He does it for a living with his three stylists, Flavius, Veniva and Octavia.
I go into the hotel and take some NyQuil.

...9...

"Didn't I tell you to get as much sleep as possible?" Cinna asks, tilting my chin up to inspect my face.
"I know Cinna, I'm really sorry, I just-"
"Stop," he whispers. "It's okay Katniss, I get it. Your nervous and couldn't sleep. You have nothing to be nervous for though." He says as he begins to work on me.
"I have a lot of things to be nervous about." I mumble.
"Like what?" He whispers.
"Falling, breaking my neck, dying because of it," he laughs and I smile. "No seriously though, falling. I'm definitely nervous to fall. Oh, and stepping on my dress and ripping it. That seems like something I'll do. Or Peeta saying no. That's what really kept me up. Or someone objecting."
"Katniss, why in gods name are you scared about Peeta saying no? That's like one and an infinitely chance, and even then, that's pushing it. Peeta loves you more than anything in the entire universe. He is not going to say no. And if someone objects...well, then someone objects." He shrugs. "Besides, the phrase 'speak now or forever hold your peace' has become obsolete. Don't worry about it." He says.
"Well I'm still nervous." I mumble.
"I would be, too. I was Katniss, I was so nervous to marry Portia. About everything. Like something wouldn't fit me, or she was going to say no, or I'd slip up and say something stupid-"
"Stop! You're going to give me a heart attack." I gasp, putting my hand over my heart.
What if the dress doesn't fit?
What if I slip up and say something retarted?
What if I fall?
What if I step on the dress and rip it?
What if he finds out that I moved with those guys? What then?
What if he says no?

PEETAS POV

I don't even have to do much of anything to get ready, just put on a tux and let Portia do something to my hair. She's doing my hair now and my knee is bouncing nervously.
If if she says no?
That's the only think I can think about. What if she thinks something and it completely changes her mind?
What if she finds out that I moved along with those girls last night?
I will forever hate myself for that.
"She isn't going to say no, Peeta." Portia says. She moves in front of me. "Listen...she's freaking out about the same things you are. About how she was forced by Johanna to move with the guys that night, about you saying no, about how she's scared to fall, about stepping on the dress and ripping it. Peeta, she's horrified for the stupidest things in the world."
She had to move with those guys last night?
She's never actually done that to me, and I can imagine how fucking sexy she looks doing it, and I want her to do it to me. I'm not even pissed she did it to those guys first. She will be MY wife in a few hours and I HAVE already seen her naked and taken a shower with her and had sex with her.
Portia laughs for some reason. "You know what she told them? She said 'I'll move with you, but if you kiss me or do anything other than this, I'll break your fucking necks, understand boys?'."
"That sounds exactly like Katniss." I smile. I can imagine those words leaving her lips and it makes me smiles. "And I did tell the girls that Katniss will personally hunt them down and kill them and if do anything other than that."
Portia smiles and goes back to my hair.
"How do you know what she was scared for?" I ask.
"Because I've been texting Cinna." She replies.

KATNISS'S POV

"Okay Katniss, let's get you into your dress." He says. I've been in my bra and underwear the whole time. I rise, and we walk over to my dress. It's ruffled from the waist all the way down and from the waist up its white with a silver type band going around my middle. It's strapless, with a sweetheart neckline. I don't need a bra for it. Cinna turns around while I take off my bra and carefully get into the dress.
"Okay, you can turn." I whisper. He turns around and the zipper goes up, holding me in. it fits perfectly, and it doesn't even feel like it's going to slip. My hair was curled and then pinned up in the back. It's very hard to explain.
(Katniss's wedding dress and hair will be in a link in my bio, along with the makeup one, Katniss' engagement and wedding ring, and Peeta's wedding ring, and the earrings are on the girl that has the hair done!)
I have in diamond earrings, too. Cinna takes off my engagement ring and moves it to my right hand.
"You can put it back on after the ceremony." He whispers.
"It feels weird there, and my hand is too bare." I whisper. He just smiles. I'm not complaining, just saying.
"You look beautiful, Katniss." He whispers. I smile. Someone knocks loudly on the door.
"Come on, we're going to be-oh my goodness!" Effie begins. It's Mama, Effie, Johanna, Annie, Faith, Opal and Prim.
"Oh Katniss," Mama whispers, her eyes welled with tears as she walks over to me.
"Don't worry, your makeup is waterproof." Cinna whispers.
"You look amazing!" Opal exclaims.
Mama hugs me, careful not to mess anything up. Effie does the same.
"Peeta is going to shit himself when he sees you, if I do say so myself," Johanna hugs me, too. "You grew up good, kid." She punches my arm and I smile. I've got tears in my eyes, but not enough to spill. Effie looks at the time, and she starts to flip out.
"If we get to the car in three minutes, we'll be at central park in ten, and then you will be walking down the aisle in fifteen or twenty, let's go, let's bring you to Peeta!"
Last night was the longest night of my life, and I'm ecstatic that I can finally see Peeta.
They all lead me to the elevator. My shoes are just white flats. You can't see my feet and I'm less likely to trip if I'm flat on my feet. Effie was upset for a while that I refuse to wear heels, but she got over it. I'd much rather be my actual height, anyways.
When we get to the lobby of the hotel, there's guest, and when they see my, they burst into cheers, making all of us smile. A lot of people pat my shoulder.
"Congratulations!" a ton of people chat. I thank them and am whisked away by Effie. Tonight Peeta and I are staying here, on Effie's command, and then tomorrow we go home.
When we get in the limo, I stare blankly out the window, drumming my fingers on my knees, which are tapping nervously. A huge bundle of nerves has overcome me.
"Katniss, it's going to be fine." Prim assures me. I ignore her, because I'm too into my own thoughts to focus on someone else's. The wedding reception is at central park and they're got a whole spot in the park cleared of snow with a dance floor down.
When we get there, I'm hidden behind some statue, which is quite huge. Nobody saw us. Daddy puts his hand on my shoulder.
"Ready kiddo?" he asks.
"I don't know." I'm not having doubts, but I'm really nervous.
None of the guests can see me and I can't see them, but I can hear them. I can hear Rye and Graham and Finn and Brandon. I really want to go up and hug Finn, but I can't, because I'm not allowed to. I hear Effie ordering people, and then her and Mama leave. I'm freaking out really bad now and my hands are sweaty and I'm sick to my stomach and nauseous.
The music begins.
"You look amazing Katniss." Daddy whispers.
"Thank you," I gasp.
"Hey," Daddy whispers, taking my clammy hands. "It's going to be fine, you love Peeta, and Peeta loves you. Trust me, honey. When you see him, the world is going to be gone, and you two are going to be the only people in existence." He whispers.
"Really?" I whisper.
"Really. Have I ever lied to you?"
"Holidays, Dad, holidays." I reply. He smiles.
"That doesn't count." He says. I laugh a little. He looks out from behind the statue. "Shoot, I think we were supposed to go already."
That's when we realize the music for the bride to be walking is playing, and the crowd is muttering in confusion.
"Quickly, Katniss," he links his arm with mine and we're both silently laughing as we hurry up part of the aisle.
They have to actually restart the bridal song.
Shit, shit, now I feel terrible. I know I've just nearly gave Peeta a heart attack.
"Tell him your sorry, Katniss." Daddy whispers in my ear.
People's faces grow calm and relived when we come into view.
"I feel terrible," I whisper.
Dad laughs a bit, but silences himself.
We walk down the aisle, and the nerves come back full force, and I know I've probably cut off my father's circulation.
I see Opal, then Faith, then Annie, then Johanna, then Prim.
And then I see Peeta. I swear to god, Daddy was right. The entire world stops and I can't see anyone, I can feel a grip on my arm, but I can't see the person standing beside me. I just see him. I see him, I see everything. His eyes that can make me melt on command, his smile, his hair, his tux.
Suddenly, I'm walking way to slow and I quicken my pace, and Daddy has to slow me down.
He puts my hand in Peeta's, kisses my forehead, whispers something in Peeta's ear. Peeta's eyes widen slightly and he nods.
Peeta asks me with just a small arch of his eyebrows if I'm okay. I nod. His eyes are dark, dark blue, and I know my eyes are matching his.

PEETA'S POV

She never fails to give me a heart attack. First, she doesn't come down the aisle, and I stand there, panicked, thinking she's run off. The crowd was muttering and Johanna wasn't trying to be quiet as she demanded where she was. The song restarted and she appeared, and my heart literally stopped. Our eyes didn't unlock and we didn't even blink. She's stunning. I love her so much, so, so much. When I silently ask her if she's okay, she smiles and nods.

KATNISS'S POV

I can't focus on what the priest is saying. I can't focus on anything expect for Peeta.
When Peeta gives my hand a gentle squeeze, I realize everyone is looking at me expectantly. I look around, not having a single clue what I'm supposed to say. I hear Johanna hiss something about "someone didn't take their ADD meds this morning"
I'm panicked, and Peeta is smiling. A few people laugh, and I really don't know what to do. "What?" I whisper. Peeta bites his lip.
"Vows, Katniss, say your vows." He whispers.
"Oh…" shit…I completely forgot about vows.
Think, Katniss, think!
I don't know what to say, I really don't know what to say!
Prim whispers something about "look where you are" and that's when I know what I'm going to say.
I make a mental note to thank her later. "Peeta…" I begin. "I've known you since I was born. We were inseparable from the day I was born, to September eleventh, 2001. And it was here, in this very spot, that my life ended." I guess that's a way to start. Everyone that was here that day, that remembers, or knows what happened all look sorry. Others look shocked and confused. "Because on that day, was the last day I ever saw you. I spent thirteen long years lonely. I was sad and depressed and I didn't understand why. I just knew I missed you, my best friend. But…it was more than that, and I was just too young to understand. I was in love with you. As I kid, I couldn't see that, but now, I do. I can see the way I look at you in those photos. I think that the best day I'd had in thirteen years happened on May eighth of this year. I'd spent thirteen years thinking you were gone, dead, in the ground. But on my birthday, the day you walked into Johanna's bar with Finnick, it's like someone flipped a switch. You can ask the girls. They both agree that I act much happier when I'm with you. And now that I've got you, I'm never letting go of you. I love you."
That's all I can think of, and it was terrible, but he doesn't seem to care.
I did make a lot of the girls in my family cry, though.
"Peeta, please recite your vows." The priest says.
Of course he's already got something to say.
"Katniss, I'm going to make this short." He says. I just smile. "You are the most incredible, beautiful, amazing person I will ever meet. You are worth more than all the money Bill Gates has, more than all the money in the world. You are worth more than anything or anyone in existence. You are my everything and I love you."
Dammit, he never fails to make me cry.
Audrey and her little friend Ben come up with the rings.
The priest tells us to exchange. Peeta slides the ring onto my left hand. It's just a gold band with three diamonds on it. His is matching, but without the diamonds and just the gold band. My hands are shaking slightly as I slide the ring on his finger. I'm beginning to get impatient because I'm ready to kiss him.
"I now pronounce you husband and wife, you may kiss your bride."
Peeta takes my face in his hands and kisses me. I put my arms around his neck and he moves his to the small of my back. Our ears don't even register the screaming of our families.
This kiss is different from any other one we've shared. This kiss feels so much better and so amazing and it's like I'm kissing him for the first time again.
After a minute, we force ourselves to pull away, and we are engulfed in family, all of them hugging us and kissing our cheeks, many of them crying, or laughing, or both. I end up losing hold of Peeta's hand, and then someone else pulls me away.
I really don't want to be away from him and it gives me a pang when I am away from him.
Cinna's pulling me.
He leads me through the park and then across the street to a store and into the family bathroom. He hands me a dress, a bra and a thong.
"A thong? I've never worn one." I admit.
"It's for Peeta." He says. "Now get dressed, you worthless thing." He exits the bathroom and I change everything and stick my head out the door. He turns around and joins me in the bathroom. He zips up the dress and then starts to undo my hair.
I'm locked in here for an hour as he straightens my hair, re-curls it, puts it into an intricate up dew. He wrinkles his nose and takes it down, lifting it slightly and then letting the rest fall. I have to sit there for another hour as he takes off all my makeup and redoes it.
The dress goes to seven inches above my knee. It's a very light peach that's a lace. He switches my shoes to white heels.
"There. I know it was a long two and a half hours." He kisses my forehead. "Now let's take you to your husband." He links his arm with mine and pulls me away.
It's snowing, but I hardly notice the cold.
"Do they know where I am?" I ask.
"Yes, and the party's already started. We didn't think you'd mind." It's well past dark now, and I can hear laughter and music in the park. We walk far and soon enough, we're in a large crowd of people who all congratulate me. Cinna releases me, and I begin to search for Peeta. I'm stopped by a ton of people, some I don't even know.
I see his back. He's surrounded by a ton on people that I don't know. I decide not to go over him. He's obviously with his friends from high school and he clearly wants to be with them. I find Johanna, who is with a ton of people from high school.
"There she is! Come give me a hug, you bitch!" Clove shouts. I laugh and hug her. "I haven't seen you since we were seventeen! Damn girl, you've got yourself quite a guy." I smile.
"Yeah," I smile. Effie hands me a drink and hugs me before she's gone to help someone out. "So what about you? How have you been?" I ask.
"Good, I've been good. I'm engaged to-" she looks around. "I don't know where he is. Remember Cato?"
"Cato?" I repeat. "You're getting married to the high school asshole? No offense..."
"Oh, he's a completely different person." She says. "He's quite sweet, really."
"Seriously?" Johanna asks. "Last I remember; he was a complete and utter ass who dated Glimmer who bullied Katniss. Why the hell are you with him?"
Clove is exactly like Johanna and she doesn't hesitate to snap back.
"Don't judge Cato. You hardly fucking know him. At least I'm in a relationship, you lonely fucker."
"I am in a relationship, and he's a billion times better than you!" Johanna snaps.

"Whatever," Clove snaps. "And Cato is not an asshole, Katniss. And why didn't you invite Glimmer? Are you too scared?" she demands.

"Why do you care?" I snap.

"Because Glimmer is my best friend." She snaps. "Are you a fucking coward? You invite everyone but her?"

"Oh just fuck off." I snarl.

Soon enough, Johanna, Clove and I are in a full blown argument. None of us notice that we're shouting, that the music has stopped, that everyone is surrounding us, and everyone is glaring at Clove, except for Cato, who is glaring at me.

Someone grabs my hand. We all cut off to see Peeta standing beside me. His eyes are pitch black with anger.

Shit, he's mad at me.

"You can leave." He says to Clove.

'I can, but I won't." she snaps.

"To hell you w-"

"Yes, you will. Leave, it wasn't a choice." Peeta cuts me off. He looks at Cato, who is glaring at me. he doesn't know him, but he doesn't care. "You too, go."

Clove shoots both Johanna and I glare, along with Cato before they disappear.

Peeta shoots the DJ a look and the music starts up again. Everyone slowly goes back to what they're doing. Aunt Kari, Mama and Effie storm over to Johanna and all of them get a grip on her arm.

"Don't yell at her. She didn't do anything. Clove got pissed because we didn't invite that person I told you three not to invite and we got into a fight about it. It's no big deal." They release Johanna, who storms off. Eventually, everyone is forgotten. Peeta starts to pull me somewhere. If it was anyone else, I would protest, but I trust Peeta. He takes me away from the party, deep into the park. When we're in darkness aside from the lights from the city, he stops.

"Peeta, I'm really sorry-" he kisses me, quieting me.

"I'm not mad at you. Why would she do that on your wedding night?"

"Our wedding night." I correct him. 'And I'm not telling you tonight because it's going to upset you. Now let's go back, because people are going to be wondering where we-"

"It's upsetting me because I don't know." He whispers. "Please Katniss, tell me?" he asks. I sigh.

"Fine…you remember that girl in Best Buy? The one that wanted our TV?" I ask.

"Yeah…"

"Well I went to high school with her and she bullied me, which is why she wasn't invited to the wedding. Clove was pissed off and Johanna and I were arguing with her. And that guy was her boyfriend, Glimmer's ex."

"You were bullied? Katniss, why didn't you tell me?"

"For this reason." I say. I take his face in my hands. "Don't worry about it. Please Peeta, it was seven years ago. It's done. Over with. Please, just drop it, Peeta, I'm begging you." I beg him.

"Okay, okay I'll drop it. I love you so much, my beautiful wife." He kisses me, and I smile into it.

"I love you too, my darling husband." I mumble.

We break apart, and I rest my head on his shoulder. We just stand there for a while. "Uh hem, you two can spend as much time as you want to together later. for now, you need to amuse the guests." Effie says behind us.

….s….

We get back to the reception. "Ah, there they are! Time for the first dance as husband and wife!" The DJ, who is Peeta's friend from high school announces. His name is Marvel. Peeta smiles at me and holds out his hand. I smile and take it, and everyone moves. When we're in the middle of the dance floor, the song, which Peeta got to choose, begins to play. I gasp when it begins, and he just smiles and begins to twirl me around the dancefloor.

"It's Christina Perri!" I exclaim.

"It is." He smiles. He chose A Thousand Years by Christina Perri.

We're silent for a bit, my head on his shoulder.

"So…" he begins.

PEETA'S POV

"So…" I begin. "Did you want to marry me, or did you just do it because you said yes?" I blurt. She looks up at me.

"What? Peeta, that's the craziest thing I think I've ever heard you say!" she exclaims.

"Well…they did have to restart the song." I say. For some reason, she starts laughing.

"That's because me and Daddy were talking and we didn't even realize that we were supposed to be in the aisle!" She exclaims.

I start laughing too, as I twirl her, making her gasp. I quickly pull her back against my chest and then dip her, pulling her back up flush against me.

"You really know what you're doing!" she says, gasping. I smile.

"Well…" I spin her again, and then just hold her against my chest. Just when she starts to calm again, I twirl her around four times and pull her back against me.

She lets me drifts my hand down to the curve of her ass. She smiles, her eyes going distant for a moment.

"I remember back when you would get embarrassed when we hugged." She smiles.

"Me too, back when we were eight. But you know what, Katniss?" I pull her closer to me, her lips inches from mine as I whisper, "That was then, this is now."