Chapter 3 (Part 2) Katniss' POV
It took me a couple weeks to get used to walking normal again because I had been in the same position for so long. I tried to avoid mirrors because even though it was nice to know I wasn't the same frail girl, starving in a broken home, I didn't look like myself. I had purple circles around my eyes and I gained about 20 pounds. Peeta said it was routine that we hold hands every night before I go to bed, but that was when I was in a coma. I'd rather have Peeta's entire body holding mine then just one part. "Peeta," I shake his hand which is laying softly in mine and his eyes flutter open, "hey" he says in a groggy tone. It takes Peeta a few moments to realize that the sun has not risen, "Is something wrong?" The worried, panic expression on his face finally sinks into my soul and lets me know that this is the right thing. This is what I need. I lean down, leaving an inch between my lips and his ear, "Come into bed with me." I whisper this with the least intention of something more than just holding each other, but somehow it comes out seductively. If it were anyone else they would have been on top of me already, trying to take my clothes off because Panem believes I'm the most desirable woman. But Peeta knows me too well, he knows what I mean. Without a moment of hesitation his hand slips out of mine and he walks to the other side of the bed and I hold up the blanket for him to get under. I can tell he's nervous by the way he moves his fingers through his hair and lets out a deep breath. When he gets under the covers, I move my body into his and lay my head against his chest. I never realized how beautiful his heart beat was until it stopped in the arena. I might even love his heart beat more than the sound of the mockingjays singing Rue's melody. Whenever we're in each other's arms we don't talk much, but that's only because we don't need to. This embrace is much stronger than words. Peeta's arms and chest are so warm and cozy that I start to doze off. Just as I am about to fall asleep, I feel Peeta kiss the top of my head and whisper, "I love you." I guess he thinks I'm asleep because he wouldn't say that without preparation and he wasn't at all prepared for me to invite him into bed. I don't think he expects me to say it back, so I don't. I just place the palm of my hand on his chest to let him know that I am here, to let him know I'm never leaving. My eyelids grow heavy and the world around me blurs into a dream. I am looking through the window of the bakery and I see Peeta and me baking together. Peeta is rolling some dough and I am frosting a whole plate of cupcakes, each one with a different design. The cupcake farthest from the rest of them has a flower frosted on it, a primrose. The other cupcakes have swirls, hearts, and one even has what looks like a cats face. All the designs were very minimalist and amateur, except for the cupcake with the primrose. Then I see Peeta, tilting up my chin slightly and pressing his lips to mine. I know I'm only watching from the window, but it's as if I can actually feel his tender kiss. I graze my fingers against my lips and grin at the thought of kissing him again, and again, and again. A light shining brightly in the bakery breaks my thoughts completely and once it fades, I am gone. It's just him baking, alone. The cupcake that once had a primrose on it is now burnt and all the ones I decorated with meaningless symbols, now have my face on them. I look up and realize the bright blue sky above me has turned into a dark gray and the singing birds that flew so happily from tree to tree have gone quiet.
Once I saw the dark clouds, I knew my world was turning into something horrible. I press my hand on the glass window, let the tears fall from my eyes, I let myself break. I don't care if anyone is watching anymore, because as the Mockingjay I've shown the world everything; everything but vulnerability. My hand slips from the window as I fall to the ground, sobbing into my hands that suddenly had "pain" and "regret" carved into each one. How could I let those bombs take my beautiful little sister away? Why couldn't I get to her in time? And why did I ignore Peeta for so long when all he's ever done was save, protect, and love me? All I've done is let this cruel world take Prim and I've nearly killed Peeta by giving him a broken heart. I have become one of the monstrous humans that I've been loathing my entire life. I feel the ground shake and hear an explosion coming from behind me. I turn around to see the parachutes falling from the sky, turning the bakery into a giant fireball. I begin to scream for Peeta as I run up the front steps of the burning building and try to open the door, shaking the knob like my life depended on it. Peeta's life depended on it. Peeta was all the life I had left. The door doesn't budge, but as I continue to scream it disappears and Peeta is still rolling the dough."I could use a hand," he says in a soft, calm tone with that handsome grin that always seems to pull me in to even the most dangerous of situations. I ignore the fire and join him. He wraps his arms around me from behind and teaches me how to roll the dough properly, grazing his soft hands over mine. I grow less interested in the dough and more interested in his unique touch that sends a fluttery feeling through every part of my being. I turn around slyly and look straight into his sea blue eyes, I get lost in them; so lost that it takes me about fifteen seconds to realize that the burning bakery was gone and that I had wings. I lay my head against his chest as we stand here, folded into each other so perfectly. Once I close my eyes, they are opened again by the sunlight and I find myself still in Peeta's arms. I fought a nightmare. I couldn't believe that for the first time I gave one of my nightmares a beautiful ending. I adjust my body so that I can see his face, "Peeta," I whisper into his ear, "I love you too."
Peeta eventually wakes up and goes downstairs to make us breakfast. I wonder if he heard me or pretended not to, just like I had done with him. A scream from downstairs and a gunshot immediately wipe the smile off my face and put me into panic mode. Is the shadow back? Fear clouds all my rational thoughts. Must. Save. Peeta. I finally think to myself as I shove the door open to the smell of something burning and a pile of smoke. There is so much smoke and fire that it is hard to see or breathe, but I find the strength to call his name. I find him lying on the ground as he pulls a sword out of his leg. Thankfully, it was the fake leg that Peeta had to get due to the first Hunger Games we took part in. Whoever attacked us was too stupid to remember that Peeta had lost his real leg, they obviously didn't do their research. "Peeta, are you okay?" I say picking him up slightly and holding him against me, "Yeah I got em, right in the shoulder blade," he says with a confident grin as he drops the small gun to the floor. I kiss his forehead and hold him close to me. Maybe Peeta and I aren't as safe as we thought we were, and maybe the games aren't really over.