Author's Note:
Hi all I thank you all for your support and the drive to keep me motivated...Here is the next Chapter as promised. I hope you all like it. Once more I would like to thank Daisy3D for your amazing help.
One more note...I do not own the Hunger Games, Catching Fire, or Mockingjay...all of it and the wonderful characters belong to S.C.
Katniss slowly surfaced from the inky unconscious pit she floated on. The voices around her were concerned, hushed. Katniss could not pinpoint who they belonged to.
"How long before she wakes up?"
"I do not know."
"She did take a nasty fall."
Katniss groaned, even with her eyes closed the clarity that surrounded her intensified the pain in her head. Lazily, her lashes briefly slid opened.
"She is coming through."
"Is she alright?"
Katniss turned her head away from the light of day, it hurt her eyes. Her lashes fluttered closed. Her hand weakly lifted to block out the light. The only thing she could really tell is the voices huddled above her were harmless and deeply concerned.
"Katniss…." Primrose gently pushed her sister's hair away from her face.
"Prim?" Katniss breathed. Her headache felt like fist pounding the interior of her brain.
Katniss felt another hand gently touch the back of her neck. She groaned at the contact. The touch was familiar "Mom?"
"Shhh…it's ok Katniss." Lilly breathed softly, glad to see her daughter was responding to her touch. Her daughter had been acting strangely since she won the Games. Lily was concerned for her eldest. The Games and the break between Peeta and Katniss affected her daughter. Their relationship was on a stand still momentarily. Katniss was dealing with a lot since her return to District Twelve.
"What happened?" Katniss groggily spoke. The last thing she recalled was hearing Gale and Haymitch frantically yell while she was trapped inside the tube. Her eye-sight was blurry. Katniss closed her eyes once more, willing them to adjust.
"We were so scared, we found you passed out in bathroom." Primrose said trying to control her tears. She and her mother had come home from helping Mrs. Harell deliver the triplets. It was something Primrose had never seen. A healthy baby in the Seam was a miracle. Healthy Triplets was unheard of.
Prim was feeling happy as she and her mother reached their home. They were entering the house when they heard Katniss yell loudly followed by a thump. Primrose ran upstairs to check up on Katniss. She was shocked to find her sister passed out in the bathroom.
"It looks like you hit the rim of the toilet bowl. You have a large bump on the back of your head." Lilly informed her daughter, knowing she sounded clinical.
At her mother's words Katniss shook her head then touched her head slightly everything around her began to take focus. "My head hurts."
"It will hurt for a while" Lilly needed to check her daughter now that she was awake
"How did it happen?" Prim was still concerned for her sister.
"I must have tripped...my head really hurts mom." Katniss quickly took stock of her surroundings. She was in the Victors Village. This was her room. This has to be sometime either before or after the Victory Tour. Everyone was wearing heavier clothing. Katniss pondered how she could arrive into the past again instead of staying in the future. Katniss blinked as her eyes adjusted. The ache in her head was diminishing but pain still radiated from where she hurt herself.
"It should considering a toilet bowl got the better of you."
Katniss blinked at the achingly familiar voice. All thoughts of how she arrived disappeared. Her eyes settled on Peeta standing by the doorway she could not hide the deep longing for him. The last time she had seen him was in the hallway at school. She recalled being held in his arms, participating in that kiss. That aching sweet stirring maddening kiss was still on her mind. Her silver grey soaked up his form. She could tell he was concerned. His smile was gentle. Katniss smiled back at him. "Hey."
Lilly saw the slight bashful smile that began to spread on her daughter's face. Her earlier summations that her daughter's issues had to do with the young man standing by the door were correct. Peeta and Katniss had been avoiding each other from the moment all of their social obligations to the Capitol were completed.
Lilly began to do the preliminary check, shining a light in her daughter's eyes to see if she had a concussion. There was a shimmering strong connection between Peeta and her daughter Katniss. As she checked the back of her head Lilly supposed it had to do with their Games. They survived together what no one else had. Their gaze locked on each other. Lilly could see the hurt and yearning in their looks to reconnect to the closes they shared in the arena. "Does this hurt?"
"Not there but, there that hurts." Katniss ground out when her mother touched her bump.
"Okay" Lilly was trying to be as gentle as possible as she snuck a look at Peeta who hung back looking at Katniss anxiously. What they needed was a chance to clear the air between them.
"Why…how did…" Katniss could not find the words to ask why Peeta was here without sounding mean and or angry.
Lilly raised an eye brow understanding what her eldest daughter was asking. Katniss was not the best communicator. Lilly entertained her earlier thought to perhaps afford them a private moment together a bit more seriously. They needed to talk, it was clear they argued but nothing was resolved between them. "Prim went to go get him. He helped us move you to your bed."
Peeta watched her closely. Katniss was unconscious for about roughly twenty minutes. Her mother could do nothing until she awoke. He was relived to see her open her beautiful silver gray eyes. He was painting when Prim pounded on his door so violently, Peeta thought it was Haymitch. He instantly became worried when he saw how distraught Prim was. Peeta did not waste time in rushing over to her house. He came in as her mother finished wrapping a robe around Katniss.
His instincts kicked in, picking her up gently cradling her within the safety of his arms like he had done so many months ago. Unlike the last time, he stuck around. Peeta had deposited her inside her empty home before he walked away. Peeta found his brother Rye smirking at him outside of the Everdeen home in the Seam.
It seemed his brother Rye had come around to see how he was coping with the loss of the wrestling championship and caught them making out in the hallway. Rye followed him as he chased after Katniss. He stood like an unknown sentry keeping an eye out for him. Oddly enough, what occurred that day; caused them to become closer brothers. Peeta shared with Rye the real reason Katniss and he were not together.
Rye would love to have a few words with the elusive Katniss Everdeen. That was a meeting that Peeta did not want to have happen. Peeta shook his head as he gazed at her with concern.
Peeta could see her disorientation; it was almost as if she did not know where she was. His concern for her grew. This was the second time she had passed out. This time she hurt herself. The last time it was the day of the big wrestling tournament and he was there to catch her. What bothered him was her distance afterwards. It caused him angst, thinking he had pushed her away by coming on too strong.
In hindsight he had lost but he had gained something. It took him going through the Games to make him understand that Katniss had to work through her emotions. Of course, her declaration on the train ride home that she was faking it hurt. He could not deny he came close to breaking every glass object in his train compartment out frustration, furry, and sadness.
It was Rye who pointed out the obvious. Katniss had feelings for him but was not ready to accept them. He did not believe his brother and they had gotten into a fight over it. Yet when he calmed down, he began to analyze everything Katniss did. If she did not care for him, she would not have saved his life in the games. Looking back Katniss acted like a girl who had feelings for him. If Katniss did not have feelings for him she would not have showed up at his locker to comfort him after the loss. Nor would she have noticed that Boyne cheated.
What transpired between them before the games was his only proof that Katniss had any sentiments towards him. They had shared a soul binding kiss. He knew that was her first kiss by her shy awkward responses. Peeta closed his eyes, recalling the way she opened up to him. With that information he could analyze the kisses in the Games. Peeta could pin point the ones that were forced and the ones that were not. This caused him to patiently wait for her. His only remaining fear was Gale Hawthorne.
Despite knowing they were not romantically involved; Gale was a permanent fixture in her life. Peeta knew Gale did not particularly like him. He also knew Katniss and Gale had seen each other in the woods. Peeta did not like it, but all he could do was observe her wishes to stay away. Rye however thought Peeta needed to go and brand her as his property. Peeta did not because he loved her.
Her eyes rested on him. Watching her, he could see her stare at him with hunger. His heart thundered in his chest "Katniss?"
Lilly Everdeen saw the heated looks exchanged between her daughter and Peeta. A certain realization came to her as she thoughtfully gazed at her oldest. Until this moment, Lilly had forgotten about the conversation she had with her daughter that surprising morning. This was the boy Katniss was speaking about so long ago. Before the reaping. Before the Games. This was the boy who Katniss was falling for. The Games sped up their love story and at the same time nearly destroyed it. Her daughter was an insanely private person. She did not like having people pry into her personal space, having cameras following her around must have frightened Katniss.
Lilly carefully thought about the Games and its demands. It had taken a toll on them but despite the damage the Capitol did Lilly could see that shimmering ember between them. Her pale blue eyes gazed at both teenagers, what was between them reminded her of a romance from a long time ago. Although they were still young Lilly knew she could not stop what began before the Capitol cast a shadow over their burgeoning romance
"Primrose why don't we go downstairs and make Katniss and Peeta some tea, perhaps some crackers or toast" Lilly suggested of her youngest daughter. Primrose was a like Katniss she was smart. However, what Katniss lacked her youngest had in strides. Primrose had awareness about the world around her. Something that Katniss did not possess. That scared Lilly more than leaving Peeta with Katniss.
Primrose was about to argue but she caught the way her sister was staring at Peeta. Her pale blue gaze turned to view Peeta and he was staring at Katniss in the same way. Primrose raised an eyebrow. "Sure, perhaps we can fix them some breakfast. I am famished."
Lilly could see the wheels turning in her youngest daughter's head. Heaven help them when Primrose decided to fall in love. "Come along."
"Okay I'll just wait downstairs." Peeta began to move.
"Peeta, stay, take care of her" Lilly briefly paused, put her hand on his shoulder to look at the young man in the eyes, what she found left her satisfied. Peeta loved her daughter.
Prim was not so subtle she gently pushed Peeta forward into the room and then shut the door firmly. She found herself at the end of one of her mother's looks. A look many would never attribute to Katniss scowl. "What, you think they would take that step by themselves?"
Lilly shook her head then uttered getting ready to reprimand her youngest child. "Primrose Everdeen" Lilly warned.
Prim simply smiled and hopped down the hallway acting like a child instead of the forty year old that inhabited her petite frame, leaving her mother to follow her feeling exasperated.
Inside the room Katniss and Peeta stared at each other awkwardly. The room was thick with tension. Peeta swallowed and moved forward, sitting on the side of the bed. After weeks apart he was desperate to feel close to her. He picked up her hand and then gave her his most serious stare "I do not think you should take retaliation on the toilet bowl. It will not do anything to further your reputation. Frankly, I think you should apologize, don't you think?"
Katniss chuckled. Peeta was the only one who could deliver such a line and sound sweet and sincere "I don't know Peeta I think I should at least take a whack at it. I think I lost my credibility as a Victor now that I have been beat up by the toilet bowl."
"Bathroom fixtures will get you every time. I am very leery of the showers; I always end up smelling like flowers." Peeta shrugged easily making a joke out of the fact that he could still not set the settings to a more masculine smell.
"I have a new healthy respect for bathroom fixtures." Katniss gingerly touched the back of her neck.
Peeta grinned "Don't worry" he leaned with a scheming tone of voice whispered "Your secret is safe with me."
Katniss could not help but laugh at his joke. She leaned forward then smiling gently whispered back "Thank you."
Peeta genuinely became serious he squeezed her hand. "Seriously though, are you ok?"
Katniss sighed missing this side of their relationship. Peeta was always able to draw her out of her introverted shell. "As long as you defend me from all menacing bathroom fixtures, then yes I feel better."
Peeta raised his eyebrow at her attempt at humor. He was serious at the moment. Katniss gave him quite the scare. It was something to think of being wiped out by the Capitol it was another thing to be injured by something so mundane "Really?"
"My head and neck hurts" Katniss whispered.
Peeta nodded his fingers traced her hand. He took a deep breath. It was time to burry the hatchet. "I have missed you."
Katniss flushed the words came out rushed from her lips "I am sorry. I just could not explain."
Peeta could see the tears gathering in her eyes. Katniss never cried unless she had a good reason too. He must be a good reason. He leaned forward placing a kiss on her forehead near the spot where clove's knife cut her. "Shhh…"
She inhaled his scent. With her other hand she gripped his arm and held him there. Her face traveled upwards. She rubbed her nose against his taking his precious scent before her lips settled on his.
The connection was instant. The kiss progressed in a soft unhurried fashion. They reacquainted themselves, aware of only each others needs. This kiss was real. This kiss was for themselves; out of the arena and the public eye. Peeta pulled away he could feel her hiked breathing. He gently pressed his forehead against hers. Peeta pulled her to his lap.
Katniss settled her head in the crook of his neck. She once again breathed in his scent. He smelled of bread and spices. This was her Peeta. She sighed contentedly.
Peeta began to slowly message her neck. He felt the large bump. "Is your head still hurting?"
Katniss nodded; content to just be with him her brain forgetting about the pain momentarily. She snuggled closer to him.
Peeta looked down at her. Her lashes were closed. "Katniss I…"
"Stay with me?" Katniss breathed out.
"Always" Peeta automatically answered. He would always want to be by her side.
Katniss placed a kiss on his neck.
Peeta sighed at the contact. His arms rubbed her shoulder, his body reacted to her nearness. It was then he noted she only had the robe on. "I think you should get dressed."
Katniss pulled away her eyes going wide at his suggestion. She was in a room with Peeta, clad only in two solitary items of clothing. The first item, a bathrobe that had seen better days and the second item was her grandma looking underwear. Yet she did not want him to leave. "Don't leave."
"You have to get dressed Katniss."
"Close your eyes." Katniss replied.
"Katniss I am not a saint." Peeta grinned into her stubborn face.
"Fine, then wait in the bathroom." Katniss could not help the way her mouth pouted. She attempted to stand up, but her legs were wobbly and threatened to buckle.
Peeta quickly picked her up. She placed her arms around his neck. There was no point in arguing with her and Peeta acknowledged he did not want to leave. He leaned in and kissed swiftly. "Do you know what you are going to wear?"
Katniss thought about her options. She needed to pick something that would be easy for her to slip on with him around. A slow smile penetrated her face she would have preferred trousers but Peeta seemed like a skirt or dress man "A dress."
Peeta nodded as he gently laid her down on the bed "Which one?"
"You pick, you have better style than I do." Katniss shrugged.
He looked at her over his shoulder and wiggled his eyebrows "You are right about that."
Katniss giggled at his actions. She watched him choose a sun dress. Something she could easily slip over her head. It was one Cinna's feminine dresses. It was a soft orange. She touched the material recalling their conversation during the tour. "You like this color?"
Peeta blushed "Yeah, orange is my favorite color."
"It looks like the sunset." Katniss mused recalling that conversation.
"Exactly." Peeta smiled "Do you need anything else?"
"Socks, thick ones please, and a sweater" Katniss did not dare mention the undergarment she was going to have to go around today without. "The socks are in the small draw on the left and the sweaters are in the second draw."
Peeta obeyed finding a pair of the fluffiest socks and a sweater. "You are always cold aren't you?"
"Yes" Katniss said in a muffled voice as she slipped the dress over her head. She pulled the blankets up to her chest as she untied the robe and slipped out of it. She was sure she was one bright red tomato at the moment as she furiously worked.
Peeta turned around just as he saw her slip an arm through the arm of the dress. He turned around swiftly. He gripped the sweater and socks tightly, his heart rammed up against his rib cage with a violent force. He saw nothing, but it did not matter because he was a sixteen year old male whose object of his affection was just feet away. He was red and flustered.
"You can turn around now." Katniss could not help the blush that spread through her body.
Peeta sat next to her handing her the socks and sweater trying to keep himself under control. He watched as she lowered the comforter down and put on the fuzzy socks.
"Can you please button my dress" Katniss knew to ask this would be torture, but she wanted to feel his hands on her.
Peeta watched as she held her hair to the side. There was one button, but it might as well have been fifteen by the way his hands shook. He began to button on the back of her dress, but he fumbled it several times. He could feel her shiver at the contact of his fingers on her skin.
Once finished, Peeta quickly stood as she held her arms up to him so that he could carry her. He could not help the smile that spread on his face. He carried her and she automatically nuzzled her face into his neck as her arms held tightly around his neck and shoulders. Despite his leg Peeta easily carried her downstairs.
Prim watched from the kitchen as Peeta walked in with Katniss. A self-satisfied grin appeared on her face as she could see the tender looks exchanged between her sister and Peeta. She looked at her mother with a superior glance "See."
Lilly sighed heavily at her youngest and uttered "I just do not know what to do about you Primrose Everdeen. I just do not know."
Primrose pretended not to hear her mother as she placed plates where Peeta and her sister were sitting. She was going to redouble her efforts to help Peeta win her sisters heart.
Peeta spent the day with Katniss under the watchful gaze of her mother. He took the opportunity to do something they had not done since they were in the cave. They talked. They Shared things about each other as they sat on the couch. Bonding with words, what their bodies could not do.
Lilly could see the way her daughter seemed to open up to the boy. It was one thing to see it on the television, but it was another to see them interacting in reality. There was a strong bond between her daughter and Peeta.
It brought Lilly back to when she was young and in love. Katniss father had opened up a whole new world for her. Everything seemed to become brighter, more beautiful. Lilly could not help the twinkle in her eyes as she saw her daughter and Bing's youngest act the same way "Peeta would you want to stay for dinner?"
Peeta glanced over the sofa as Katniss inched closer to him. "If it is not too much trouble then, yes."
Katniss looked into his blue eyes and swallowed. She had to address what happened on that train ride over. She was not good with words, but Peeta deserved the truth. She did not want any doubts left in his mind. She also did not know how long she would have until she was pulled back.
"Mom is it ok if Peeta and I take a walk before dinner."
Lilly focused in on her daughter. She scanned her briefly before looking at Peeta. "If you are up to it?"
"Are you sure?" He questioned, looking at the knot in back of neck. The swelling had gone down. Her mother's tea and the cold ice pack had done wonders. Though he was not sure she was ready to walk around.
"If anything we can just sit on the porch." Katniss saw the concern in his eyes. "My coat and stuff is upstairs."
"I will get your coat and shoes" Peeta said quickly not wanting Katniss to move.
Primrose narrowed her eyes at her sister the moment Peeta left the room. "Katniss, you should talk about your break up."
Katniss turned a deep shade of red as her mother came to her rescue.
"PRIMROSE Everdeen leave your sister alone." Lilly slapped her wooden spoon on the butcher block from across the room. Her youngest was getting on her last nerve today. Prim was a sweet child it was however the meddling aged grandparent lurking inside of her that Lilly disliked.
"But mom, we all know she has been moping around the house since she stopped seeing Peeta. She will not even talk to Gale although I am glad that will never happen no thanks to Madge." Prim said mostly to herself. She loved Gale, but he deserved to be where he was at, as a pesky older brother chasing after Madge. Frowning she uttered "Whatever happened between them was serious enough to cause them to shift apart. They need to clear up the air, if they are going to move forward." Primrose stood arms akimbo looking pointedly at her mother.
Lilly took her youngest daughter and pulled her away further into the kitchen scolding "Primrose, let your sister handle her affairs privately! If she needs our advice she will ask for it. You need to stop being a busybody."
Katniss swallowed as Peeta came back down the stairs at the same time as her mother finished scolding Prim in hushed tone.
"Are you alright?" Peeta stopped.
"Huh?" Katniss sifted her eyes toward Peeta.
"You are flushed" Peeta pressed his hand to her fore head. "Maybe we shouldn't go outside.
Katniss eyes widened as over Peeta's shoulder as she watched their mother clamp Prim's mouth shut with her hand and proceed to drag Prim away. "No that's…" Katniss rushed then felt utterly embarrassed she had never seen this side of Prim before "I need the fresh air."
Peeta quirked an eyebrow as he turned around to see an empty kitchen.
Katniss quickly put her coat on, but got a little dizzy when she leaned to put on her boots.
Automatically Peeta leaned down to help her slide on her shoes. "Should I ask?"
Katniss sighed; then confessed. She was not able to hide the flush that was still on her face. "Prim is acting up."
"Prim?" Peeta was surprised by Katniss' answer.
"Yes she is concerned about…" Katniss shrugged not sure how to explain.
"Oh." Peeta said looking up at her from his position on the ground. "All finished."
Katniss stood up but Peeta quickly hoisted her up in his arms. Katniss hid her face in his neck, sighing at the contact. "Am I too heavy?"
"Are you kidding me I am used to carrying bags of flowers that weigh more than you do" Peeta winked at her.
As soon as they walked outside, Katniss felt a whole lot better. Peeta automatically placed a blanket around her legs as she sat in the outside chairs. He took a seat next to her. Katniss reached out for his hand.
Peeta slid his hand in hers and they sat there for a few moments. Staring amicably as the sun went slowly down.
"Have you heard from Haymitch?" Katniss asked quietly.
"I brought him some bread yesterday night."
"Peeta about the train…" Katniss began hesitantly she could feel his hand stiffen in hers.
"What about it?" Peeta knew they had to have this talk.
"I not good with words Peeta, I messed up."
Her voice was barely above a whisper. She sounded scared. He said nothing only gazed into her face.
"I…" Katniss stammered "the Capitol is mad at me for what I did with the berries. Haymitch was trying to help me because I don't show how I feel." Katniss looked down. "I could not even tell you what parts were acted and what parts were real, Peeta." Katniss shook her head "There were parts that I did not have to act, parts where you made me feel safe."
Peeta tipped her face toward him. Her confession made Peeta understand something he had been to blind to see. Smiling while soothingly touching her face, Peeta stared into her distressed eyes. "He did claim you have the personality of a slug."
Katniss laughed nervously. "Peeta I…."
He waited patiently. This talk was going better than the one done outside of the train. He was hurt and feeling sorry for himself. Having lost his leg in the games did do some damage to his pride. He was able bodied going in, but now he had to deal with using a prosthetic to walk around with. He did not have the same agility he had before the games.
"I did not want you to get hurt." Katniss was loosing her voice.
Peeta blinked as he saw her physical struggle to keep her face from crumbling. She was not given to crying, he had only seen her loose her cool twice. When she thought he had eaten the poisonous berries and when they were separated. She had trembled in his arms when she thought him dead in the arena of nightlock poisoning. Then after they were lifted away; Katniss pounded the invisible wall screaming for him when they were separated.
Katniss face contorted as she tried not to cry. She could feel the tears welling up within her. "Haymitch made me understand they would hurt everyone. I can't loose….because of me you lost your leg." Now tears appeared in her eyes they slipped from their silver depths as she gazed at him all the emotion she held within her heart.
The old Katniss would have held on dearly to her sentiments fearing the unknown. This wiser Katniss learned the hard way that when things were not said, opportunities were missed to enrich their small existence. She was much prudent now having this chance. She would not waste it. Katniss loved Peeta she welcomed the warmth and heaviness of those emotions and was unafraid to demonstrate it. Even if the way she felt came out in hiccupping messy tears.
Peeta was amazed by how she behaved and acted. Katniss was an old soul.
"I've cost you so much already. But Peeta I can't go on like this I can't I miss you all the time. The cave…." Katniss blurted "I think about…" she shook her head. "Peeta I can't….loose"
Peeta carefully watched her. He realized why she separated herself from him. It was a clear demonstration of where he stood with her. Katniss was always trying to protect those she cared about. She separated herself from him because she did not want him hurt by the Capitol. She foolishly thought it better to go at this alone than to work together like they had done in the Games. He hauled her onto his lap. She held on to him, her wet face snuggling into the crook of his neck. His neck was the landing place for her tears.
"Shh….it is ok Katniss." Peeta soothed. "I understand. I should have known what you were doing. You told me you are not good with words. You are better with your actions. I should have paid attention to your actions."
"I'm sorry Peeta." Katniss looked into his face.
Peeta wiped her tears from her face. "We are ok."
Prim looked through the front door of the house to find Peeta placing a tender kiss on Katniss forehead. They appeared to be reconciled. She smiled and uttered "finally" to no one in particular.