Peeta walked over to Willow, kneeling in front of her sitting on the penultimate bottom stair step.
"Hey, Willow. Why aren't you asleep?"
Willow frowned, her tired eyes glazing over her mother's red ones. "Was Momma crying?"
Stunned, Peeta turned back to see Katniss planting on a tight smile on her face, reaching out for her daughter.
"No, Lulu. Momma wasn't crying! She was laughing. Daddy said something and I was laughing," said Katniss, placing a soft kiss on top of her daughter's raven locks. "Should Daddy put you to bed?"
Willow nodded, wrapping her arms around Peeta's neck so he could lift her up easily.
"Say goodnight to everyone," he told her.
"Good night, Momma. Good night, lady behind Momma!" Willow grinned as Peeta went up the stairs.
Katniss chuckled, turning back to see Johanna's shocked features. The redhead didn't talk, merely just stared at the empty space where the child was.
"Want a drink?" Katniss asked with a sigh.
Johanna nodded, sitting upright and pulling her skirt further down her thighs to cover herself up. She used the blanket to complete the job as Katniss handed her a glass of Peeta's whiskey.
She poured two more glasses, one intended for the father of her child when he returned from petting their daughter back to sleep.
"Seeing her physically really puts things into perspective..." Johanna mumbled quietly. "You all are moving on with marriage and kids and I'm still same old drunk Johanna."
"Johanna, I'm sorry you had to hear all that," said Katniss. She took a gulp of the whiskey and sighed.
"Fucking married as well? Damn, I've missed a lot!" Johanna continued. "I'm sorry about your mom, I said and I'm sorry that life isn't all as it seems since we last hung out." She sipped from her glass. "You guys were meant to be forever. That was one thing I counted on - your relationship. I bet on you guys," she chuckled. "Finnick and I made a stupid bet. Guess he won."
Katniss gave a sad smile before chuckling lightly. "Finnick always had a knack for seeing the future..."
Johanna responded with a bitter chuckle of her own. "We all know that Peeta's mom wasn't the nicest of moms. She wasn't like mine or yours. Something tells me that there's more to him letting her control him when it came to you."
"You're right," they heard.
They both turned to see Peeta making his way down the stairs before sitting down beside Johanna as Katniss took the armchair by the fireplace to keep warm.
He picked the last glass up and drunk it whole, pouring them all another glass each.
"Peeta, you don't have to..." Katniss trailed off.
"I do. And she's our good friend. I should have told our friends in the beginning." He sighed.
Her eyes widened and she turned to Johanna. "You have to understand first, it was never intentional."
It made their friend frown. "What was never intentional?"
"I hit her a few times."
Johanna's eyes flashed red and she threw her drink at him, soaking his shirt as she shook her head in disbelief.
"You're lucky I don't fucking punch you," she whispered. She turned to Katniss. "Are you okay? Has he touched y-"
"It was a long time ago, Johanna. His mother forced his hand, it was never on purpose." Katniss sighed, throwing a tissue at Peeta to clean himself up. "His mother... you should tell her yourself, Peeta."
Peeta nodded. "My mom, she abused me as you know and as a result, Katniss bore the runt of that sometimes."
"Is that why you left?" Johanna asked her friend. "Because Blondie hit you and you were scared for your girl?"
Her brunette friend shook her head. "God, no! I had my reasons but that was never one of them."
Johanna pursed her lips. "Sorry, Peeta. I'm sorry for what your mother did to you but Katniss didn't deserve that - you promised her the world."
"I know," said Peeta. "I've regretted things when it came to her, I swear Johanna."
"Do Finnick and Annie know?" Johanna asked them.
"No," Katniss replied, resting a hand on her head. A headache was coming on.
"Are you okay?" Peeta asked her.
She nodded. "Probably the alcohol..."
Johanna smirked. "I feel you. Should we head to bed? I think we should."
"You can take my room," Peeta told her. "I'll sleep on the couch."
"No, you're good Bread Boy." She kicked him off the couch and laid down, closing her eyes. "Wake me up at noon."
Peeta smiled and turned to Katniss, gesturing upstairs. She nodded and they both finished their drinks before heading upstairs, Peeta turning off the lights downstairs as they did so.
Standing outside her bedroom door, Peeta leant against the wall as she leant against the door itself.
"I'm sorry," she mumbled.
"No. It was time. She had to know. Finnick and Annie have to know."
She placed a hand on his cheek and kissed it. "I know things will never be the same but if it's any consolation, I loved you Peeta."
"'Loved' as in past tense?" He asked quietly.
Something flashed in Katniss' eyes but she didn't let anything more on. She simply mumbled for him to have a good night and slipped into her room, closing the door shut behind her.
She sighed heavily against it, tears slipping down her cheeks unknowing that Peeta was doing the same on the other side, running a hand through his hair.
Peeta stalked to his room, stopping by Willow's to check up on her. She was sound asleep and it made his heart just a little better.
Placing a soft kiss on her head, he smiled and took the book he reread to her earlier and placed it in the bookshelf before closing the door behind him quietly.
He had known her for a short while but he adored her. He really adored her.
Laying in his bed finally, he looked at his left hand where a wedding band was non-existent. What would it really feel like to be with Katniss properly?
Maybe marriage wasn't for him after all.
He knew what he had to do.
He had to set her free.
Her facial expressions had said that much.
He had to sign those papers when they came.