Now we come to the end. Where Earth and Olympus collied to form the fates of Katniss and Peeta. Will Venus win or will Cupid? Read and find out.
I do not own the Hunger Games
"YOU THERE!" The malignant creature's voice echoed in the stairway.
"They've found us," Rue whispered in freight.
Katniss looked back but could not see anything. She narrowed her gaze as she looked down into the black abyss, but she could hear him. Feel the tremble of the ground beneath her feet as he trudged up the stairs.
Turning to her young companion. Katniss noted Rue was scared. "We're not giving up."
Rue nodded.
"Okay let's go as fast as we can," Katniss urged. "So we can reach freedom."
"Okay," Rue said, as they climbed the stairs at a faster pace.
Katniss was determined to make it to Peeta and tell him all of the things she had hidden in her heart.
K*P*K*P
The sand in the hourglass trickled down. They had minutes. Everyone wanted Peeta to get the answer. Without a correct answer, Haymitch could not give Peeta the flask with the spirit water. Venus would win, causing Cupid to become enslaved to his mother's wishes for the next two hundred years. And worse of all he would never see Katniss again.
Jo was becoming anxious. She grabbed one of the bottles of white liquor and took a deep swig.
"Peeta, do you have an answer?" Plutarch asked.
Peeta glanced at Jo, then at Haymitch's grizzly form. He blinked as the answer suddenly came to him. "A human. At the dawn of our life, we crawl on all fours. In the afternoon, or in the midst of our adulthood, we walk with the strength of our legs, but on the eve of our life, we walk with three legs, a cane being one of them."
"Well, I'll be a monkey's uncle. The boy did it. He solved the riddle," Haymitch exclaimed.
"Haymitch quickly, give him the elixir," Effie exclaimed.
Haymitch threw the elixir at Peeta who caught it just as the last drops of sand fell to the bottom of the hourglass.
"How you unraveled that little mystery, I do not know?" Venus said, clapping as she entered the room.
"Here you go, the third piece of my challenge." Peeta offered her the flask.
Venus took the flask. "Your next task is simple enough. You must pass from this world to the next to get a token of beauty from Persephone. Then you are to come here and present it to me. Once I have it, I will release Katniss as per our agreement."
Peeta frowned then questioned, "Why would you need a token of Beauty from Persephone?"
"It's the game. It's how it's played. Either you go or you lose Katniss forever. You decide."
"Where or how do I find the entrance into the underworld?" Peeta couldn't believe it came down to this, but if it meant that Katniss would be safe, then he would go.
Venus laughed gleefully. "I believe Haymitch knows where the entrance lies, don't you Haymitch?"
"Haymitch don't you do not have to listen to her," Effie said.
"He will if he wants to see his precious geese, the one he calls Effie," Venus said.
"You named one of your geese after me," Effie whispered.
"Follow me," Haymitch said with a heavy heart.
Everyone followed him to the basement. There on the floor was a hatch with double doors.
"It's through there," Haymitch pointed.
Peeta stepped up to the doors. He reached down to open them, but suddenly they burst open. Out tumbled Katniss and a small girl with curly hair and big brown eyes that were trained on Venus.
"Katniss," Peeta exclaimed.
"Peeta," Katniss returned.
Instinctually they fell into each other's arms, embracing.
"Where have you been?" Peeta asked.
"Trying to get back to you," Katniss replied.
Peeta stepped back and tenderly cupped Katniss's face.
Katniss leaned up on her tiptoe and they kissed. Those in the room could see the spark of true love as the star-crossed lovers reunited.
"They are soulmates," Finnick whispered.
"When did you get here?" Effie asked.
"Plutarch came and got me."
"This can't be.." Venus muttered.
"Oh, but it is. It's the true love between two soulmates. It's so strong that Peeta heard the siren's song and was not overcome by it," Jo said.
"No!" Venus cried. She turned to Rue. "You will pay for this!"
Rue took a step back raising her arms in front of her face. Effie quickly grabbed Rue and hid her behind her.
Venus turned her attention to Katniss and Peeta who by this time were staring at her. "You need to finish your last task."
Peeta clung to Katniss.
Just then the creature burst out of the door. He was monstrous with dark ashen skin glowing red eyes and claws. He spotted Katniss and lunged for her. "You!"
Venus seeing her opportunity unleashed daggers at Katniss.
Peeta shoved Katniss away as the daggers landed on his back.
"PEETA!" Katniss cried. She looked at Venus and without a thought, she snatched two of Cupid's arrows, one she buried in the monster's neck. The other one she threw at her. The arrow buried itself in Venus' chest.
Both Haymitch and Effie zapped the wounded creature rendering it useless.
Venus gasped and pitched forward.
There was a blinding light and suddenly everyone was transported instantly from the basement of Haymitch's house to Mount Olympus. Katniss looked up at the humongous man staring down at her. Her only thought was to protect Peeta. She ran to him and wrapped her arms around him.
Katniss held on to Peeta's inert body. Tears silently fell from her eyes. "Please wake up, please," she pleaded softly.
The creature dropped to the ground under the effects of Cupid's arrow.
All of the gods instantly grew in size until they were larger than humans amongst them.
Venus had her fist curled. "I refuse,'' she muttered darkly, "to fall victim to Cupid's arrow."
"I thought I said no death, Venus?" Zeus bellowed.
"Zeus," Venus' voice quivered.
Everyone present saw how enraged Zeus was. His massive form was filled with energy and lightning crackled and thundered around him.
"You lost and cheated. You hid Katniss in the underworld, then when they found each other, you tried to take his life. I told you no deaths."
"They were helping the mortal," Venus sputtered.
"VENUS!" Zeus shouted.
At the sound of his thundering voice, she fell. The arrow in her chest was glowing red. "Yes, Zeus."
"The game is over." Zeus' voice sounded of thunder as he said, "You lost. For the next 200 years, the trickster has control over you."
"I won, I won!" Johanna gleefully clapped.
Venus looked at Jo and smiled blissfully as if Jo was the most alluring creature.
"Come along, Venus. I've got plans for you…" Jo pulled Venus along with her.
Annie put her arms around Finnick.
"Now we can be at peace for the next two hundred years or so," Finnick said.
"And I can call you Finnick around your mother whenever I want."
"And I can call you Annie," Finnick said, wiggling his eyebrows.
"What about the mortals?" Effie said.
"You can't leave them like this. Look at Sweetheart, her heart's breaking," Haymitch said.
Taking one of his Thunderbolts Zeus touched Peeta's hand.
Peeta coughed and jolted upright. "Katniss," Peeta said.
"Peeta," Katniss put her hands on either side of Peeta's face. She was in disbelief that he was alive and well. Leaning over she began to place gentle little kisses all over his face.
"Are you going to leave them up here?" Rue shyly asked Zeus. Her wings that were hidden began to extend around her small frame.
"No." Zeus gently picked them up in his massive hand. He smiled at them as their hearts beat in unison. He took them down to earth, into Katniss's cabin, and made them fall asleep.
"When they wake up, this will have been a book that they were both reading and dreamed about."
"I want no one here, not even you Plutarch, to bother these two or their children's children's children..."
"Yes sire," Plutarch jumped.
The creature awoke and saw Plutarch. It began to drool, "Mama!"
"Oh no," Plutarch muttered.
"Mama," the creature repeated.
Plutarch flew away, muttering, "Great Jo get's Venus and I get stuck with smelly here."
"Mama!"
Zeus turned to Rue. "As for you…I believe it's spring somewhere on the earth."
"Thank you," Rue said, flying away.
Zeus turned to Finnick and Annie. "And you two, why don't you go off and have another child." Zeus disappeared from their mist.
"Yes sir." Finnick grinned.
Annie glanced at her husband, he had a mischievous smile on his face.
K*P*K*P
Katniss was the first to awake. "Peeta," she shouted as she sat up. She looked around and noted that she was in bed, safe in her cabin. Her heart thumped loudly in her chest. She could see the knives hitting Peeta's back.
Tears pricked her eyes. The thought of losing him was devastating. She couldn't imagine a world where she never got to see his gentle smile or watch the way his hands crafted the most beautiful flowers using sugar and paste. If he were here she would grab hold of him and marry him.
She realized she loved Peeta.
A soft noise broke her out of her contemplation. It was followed by a snore. With lightning-quick movements she stood, her hands flew to the lantern next to her bed. Lighting it, she saw Peeta lying in her bed. The tense feeling in her stomach left her as her heart warmed. He was alive and well. Katniss wasn't sure how he had ended up in her bed, but she was glad that he was there.
Her eyes took in the way his blonde hair fell over his forehead. The stubble on his ruggedly handsome face. Setting the lamp on the table she slipped back into bed and wound her arms around him. Her lips pressed into his neck. She inhaled his scent, a masculine and fragrant mixture of cinnamon and dill. Her motion woke him up.
"Katniss," he whispered.
"Hush," Katniss said.
Peeta came to life with the same energy she'd woken up with. He rolled her onto her back. "You're alive," he said after his hands had gently explored her body.
Katniss let him, lying perfectly still, content to be in his arms.
His hands cupped her face and he placed a kiss on her lips before realizing where he was. He pulled away.
"Did you have a dream?" Katniss asked, watching him much the way she would watch prey.
"Yeah," he nodded. "I dreamt some crazy woman had stolen you. And I stole Thread's uniform. And Haymitch…I dreamt he was there alongside a woman named Effie. I think they were in a relationship."
"I dreamt a crazy woman put me in a cellar and that when I found you, she tried to kill you."
"There was a monster," they both said.
"Oh, Katniss." Peeta reached out for her and she let him hold her. She buried her nose in his neck and let all of her emotions gently come to the surface and flow over her until her heart was filled with love for him. She pulled away to look into this face.
"Katniss, I think we got drunk again," Peeta said. His face became saddened. "We must have discussed the book. It's probably why we had similar dreams."
Katniss's eyes landed on the book by her bedside. There were also some glasses and a bottle of Ripper's white liquor. The last time this happened the outcome was disastrous.
"Though this time we kept our clothes on," Katniss said, encouraged.
Peeta began to stand up.
"Where are you going?" Katniss reached out for his hand, but Peeta moved too fast.
"I was going to go home."
"Stay," she whispered.
"Are you sure?"
"I was stupid for pushing you away Peeta. I was insecure and scared and stupid to let you go."
Peeta rushed back to the bed. "No, you weren't. We were both young, just out of high school. You were the smart one. We weren't mature enough to have a real mature relationship. We would've become my parents; bitter and ugly."
Katniss laughed. His parents were a mess.
"They got married because my dad knocked my mom up. My dad told me how your mother fell in love with your dad. He said it happened over time and that they had dated, talked, argued, kissed, and made up. We have been fighting, talking, and making up for nearly five years, Katniss."
"Then it's time that we made this arrangement permanent." Getting up she tugged his hand and he got off the bed. She led him to the living room.
"Don't go anywhere."
Katniss went to the kitchen and brought out a plate full of cheese buns. She got down on one knee before him and the words tumbled out of her mouth, "Peeta Mellark, will you have a Toasting with me and be my husband?"
"A Toasting?" Peeta asked, his face was a mixture of awe and hopefulness.
Katniss nodded and waited for him to answer.
"I never thought this would happen. I hoped, but I never thought…" Peeta whispered, his blue eyes were shiny. "Yes, I'll be your husband." He leaned down and kissed her. When he pulled away he was grinning from ear to ear.
Katniss sighed, brimming with joy. She stood up and put the buns on the table.
"Yes, start the fire, while I'll get the wine."
"Okay."
She rushed back to the kitchen, got a bottle of wine she'd been saving up for a special occasion. She grabbed her good wine cups. She also filled a plate with cheese, fruits, and her sacred pieces of candy she nibbled on when absolutely necessary. Katniss carefully brought out the tray.
"Wow," Peeta said, walking toward her to help her with the tray.
Before the roaring fire, they toasted the bread, feeding each other, whispering the ancient wedding vows, pledging before all of creation of their promise to love one another until death do they part, and to never forsake their love.
They kissed, feasted, and made merry well until the night.
This time when they came to be together, it wasn't a lust-filled drunken frenzy. Peeta's kisses were headier than ambrosia. Katniss sighed as her flesh warmed and heated.
Peeta unrobed and she bit her lip in anticipation. Her own hands tore at the closures of her clothing until she was naked before him, her husband. The trials and separation only bolstered the truth that this union was done out of the purity of love. His hand slowly cupped her cheek right before his lips pressed against hers. The action sent bolts of pleasure to her core.
Without breaking the kiss Peeta picked her up. Katniss wrapped her legs around his middle, her hands in his soft blonde hair. Katniss felt herself landing on the soft plush rug. Peeta stared down into her eyes.
"Do you love me?"
His impassioned question caused her eyes to water. "I love you."
Peeta nodded his face neared hers, and before he kissed her he whispered, "I love you too."
Katniss moaned into his kiss.
Peeta's lips traced a path down her body. His hands slowly caressed her skin, relearning the dips and valleys of her body. Katniss moaned, arching into his touch and kiss. Small noises left her mouth as he pleasured her flesh.
Peeta kissed and tasted the tender bud hidden between her folds as if he were sampling the sweetest delicacy. The pleasure was so great she came in his mouth.
As she floated down to earth Katniss realized she was being reverenced. This was love-making, not sex. Everything that Peeta did, he did with love. She tugged at his head urging him to come back up.
Katniss brought his mouth up to hers and they kissed. Her hands explored down his shoulders, ran down his back. She could feel him shiver with pleasure at her touch. When her fingernails gripped his shoulder blades Peeta moaned.
Peeta's kiss became wild and her body hummed with need. Heat coiled in her womb. The need to cradle his length within her body grew. Katniss feverishly ground herself into him.
Peeta moaned as he kissed her with abandon. His lips made their way to that spot on her neck that drove her wild.
"Peeta," she gasped. "I need you."
Peeta leaned up. "Are you sure?"
"Yes."
He gently parted her legs, fitting himself at her entrance. Katniss felt his hardness as it penetrated and gently filled her aching body. The feeling of their bodies anchored together felt sacred, as they were now husband and wife, bound together for an eternity.
Katniss stared into his eyes as he began to move. Heat coiled in her womb as Peeta slid in and out of her channel. She moaned, wanting more. Peeta began to move harder and his rougher movement hit that spot within her that drover to higher pleasure. A mixture of words and sounds left her lips as she came closer and closer to spiraling out in orgasmic bliss.
Peeta pumped harder as her body rose higher until suddenly shot forward, a cry leaving her mouth as she came in the arms of the man she loved.
And as the midnight hour came the star-crossed lovers fell into the other never to be apart.
K*P*K*P
"Finnick we can't interfere?" Annie looked around. She was sure they were going to get caught.
"Just a peek."
"Finnick, if you love me you will leave Katniss alone. She loves Peeta."
"Yes but just a small prick of my arrow to ensure that she doesn't change her mind…"
"You're impossible," Annie muttered as she trailed after Finnick.
"Come on…" They peeked through the roof of the cabin. There was clothing piled on the floor. A bottle of wine sat empty. Finnick turned his attention to the bedroom where he found Katniss and Peeta wrapped up in each other's arms.
"Well," Finnick said. Annie's hands covered his eyes.
"Let's give them some privacy," Annie said, pulling Finnick back.
"I love, love," Finnick said.
"I know, and now how about we do some loving of our own," Annie winked.
Finnick floated after her. What was love after all without a little war?
The End
Thank you all for following, liking, and reblogging this story - it has been a pleasure to bring this story to life for my friend jhgsf82. I wanted to thank my bestie and beta Norbertsmom, who was patiently editing as I wrote and changed the story.
Until the Midnight Hour - Heart You All - Mega!
