Too Late - Chapter III

"Falling"

– M83

I'm awoken by the sound of my name whispered into my ear. My eyes flutter open and I look to him beside me. Peeta lays there with a solemn look. I sit up and stretch my arms out, I sling them around his neck. He pulls me into him. We sit on the bed for some time. Until I decide to shower. He nods off to his own compartment as I gather clothes for the morning, to make myself somewhat presentable for breakfast.

I hear a knock on the door,

"Just a minute." I say, throwing my clothes onto my bed. I open the door and see Haymitch standing there, his arms lingering at his sides.

"Can I talk to you, sweetheart?"

"I suppose, I'd gracefully allow you to if you didn't call me sweetheart."

"Not going to happen," he says as he pushes past me. I frown and shut the door behind me, as he takes a seat on my bed.

"Come sit." He mumbles, patting the empty space next to him. I slowly make my way and sit beside him.

"Now I know, you and Peeta, share a bed occasionally. Correct?"

My face falls, why does he want to talk about this? "Yes.." I say.

"Did anything happen, you know, out of the ordinary a few nights ago perhaps?" He quirks an eyebrow.

Now my face is red. I know it is. I feel incredibly embarrassed and utterly mortified. I turn away from him keeping my head low, I'm giving him a tell tale sign that whatever he is assuming is true. I'm far too stubborn to admit it myself.

"Look at me."

I do as he says, tears welling up in my eyes. I finally lean into him, bursting into tears.

He rubs my back poorly, and he mutters the odd, 'It's okay,' or, 'there, there.' But it's just not helping.

"Katniss. I don't want any of you doing something that you might regret, and I don't want him to think you're just using him to cure your lamentations."

"I didn't mean to!" I wail, "I never wanted to hurt him! I didn't know what we were doing! I didn't know why! I-" My sentence is cut off by my cries.

He lets me sob into his shoulder for a while. Until he finally speaks up.

"As long as you're careful, and as long as you're not using him. You have nothing to worry about, okay?"

I pull away from his shoulder and wipe my eyes with the backs of my hands.

All I manage is a nod.

Boiling water courses over the purity of my clear, scarless skin. I turn the tap off, dry myself, get into the clothing I selected, and I head out to the breakfast table, we are making our way to District 3 today, as our last stop was District 4. This morning, I decide to sit next to Peeta. I devour at least two bowls of fruit and a piece of toast. Peeta looks at me, and my empty bowls and plates strangely. I shrug at him, and move to get up.

I feel slightly unwell, as if nausea has begun to take over. There's a lump in my throat.

"Peeta, could you get a glass of water for me and bring it to my room?"

Before he even answers, I dart out of the room, my hand over my mouth. I make it to the bathroom just in time. I hunch over the toilet and throw up. I hear footsteps behind me as I continue to hurl. I hear the clang of the glass that he probably just put down on the counter. He probably seems shocked, he proceeds to rub my back. Once I'm convinced I'm finished. I feel dizzy. I look up to him, he looks so, so worried. Haymitch stands at the door, and looks at me.

"I know some things did happen, but I want you to ask your mother about it when you get home, just to make sure. She's a healer. Right?" I weakly nod my head, understanding what he's saying.

I am showing signs of pregnancy. But I know it can't be true.

The rest of the Victory tour is a blur. I feel sick, and dizzy, and being on the train really isn't helping. The night of the party at the President's mansion. I couldn't eat anything. I knew everything there would set me off, but then I later found that the only thing that was there that was safe to eat, was these strange, bread finger foods. If I had eaten anything sweet, I would be above the toilet seat hurling my guts out for hours.

We get on the train at about one in the morning, I manage to get a fraction of my makeup off, but I give up after ten minutes. I remove my dress and replace it with my nightgown. I pass out on my bed, merely minutes later.

When I open my eyes, it's early afternoon. My head rests on Peeta's arm. I don't remember him coming in last night. I turn, being careful not to disturb him, but he's already awake.

"No nightmares," he says.

"What?" I ask.

"You didn't have any nightmares last night," he says.

He's right. For the first time in ages I've slept through the night. "I had a dream, though," I say, thinking back. "I was following a mockingjay through the woods. For a long time. It was Rue, really. I mean, when it sang, it had her voice."

"Where did she take you?" he says, brushing my hair off my forehead.

"I don't know. We never arrived," I say. "But I felt happy."

"Well, you slept like you were happy," he says.

"Peeta, how come I never know when you're having a nightmare?" I say.

"I don't know. I don't think I cry out or thrash around or anything. I just come to, paralyzed with terror," he says.

"You should wake me," I say, thinking about how I can interrupt his sleep two or three times on a bad night. About how long it can take to calm me down.

"It's not necessary. My nightmares are usually about losing you," he says. "I'm okay once I realize you're here."

We finally pull into District 12. Where my family are waiting for me. When I see Prim, I gather her into my arms and lift her up. She giggles as I put her down, taking her hand, I lead her out of the crowd, my mother, and Peeta following behind.
"We missed you, dear." I hear my mother say,

"I missed you too." I say, whilst glancing back to Peeta. We both know I have to talk to my mother soon.

I hope I don't end up falling to my knees in regret. Then I'll have to admit to myself that Haymitch was right.

(AN) I hope you enjoyed, remember to leave a review!