Hey guys! I'm sad and happy to say that this is the last chapter. I never expected my story to get such a positive response and I can't thank you guys enough for that. I truly enjoyed writing this story and reading you reviews and reactions so I hope you enjoy this.

Chapter 16 (Peeta's POV)

I knew I was stupid. I was the stupidest idiot to ever walk the Earth. All this time, I had been planning and plotting to get Katniss with everyone's help. Everyone knew…except my parents. It was weird when I thought about it: so many others knew and my parents somehow hadn't found out. But I was still stupid for forgetting to tell them. In all honesty I probably wouldn't have remembered until I was already on the plane halfway to Montana.

So now they were sitting at the dining table, staring at me with disapproval in their eyes. "I swear I wasn't trying to hide anything from you." I waited for them to speak, but they just sat there silent so I continued, with less courage this time. "I got caught up in everything, and it just slipped my mind."

It was funny, I felt like I was seven again and I was being scolded for taking a cookie from the cookie jar, and they weren't even saying anything to begin with.

Dad finally put me out of my misery, but as he spoke, I decided that I preferred the silence. "And when would it have finally occurred to you to tell your parents that you were traveling to the other side of the country?"

He wasn't looking for an answer, and even if he was I didn't think I would be able to answer. I knew that tone: it was the one he usually took right before he would give us a punishment. And there was only one punishment he could give me that would actually make an impact on me.

I anxiously glanced at the clock above my dad's head. I only had an hour before the flight would leave.

"You broke our trust, Peeta. If you were going to go to Katniss, the least you could have done was tell us." I tore my eyes away from the clock and forced it to settle on Dad. "Did you think we were going to stop you?"

No, but you are now.

"I think we all know the punishment I should give you." I closed my eyes. I knew what was coming, and I couldn't bear to look at his face as he said the dreaded words. "But I won't. I won't because I'm letting you go."

I opened my eyes then glanced at mom. She gave me a small, encouraging smile. She had convinced him. I knew it. That smile said it all. She was the reason dad was letting me go. And I couldn't be more grateful.

I looked back at dad, waiting for him to talk, but he just sat there, his eyes turning from disappointing to expecting. "Well, I don't believe you have all day. Hurry up and get on that plane and bring Katniss back here, however you plan on doing it."

I immediately stood up and wrapped him in a hug and then did the same to my mother.

"Thank you." I said softly so only she could hear it then pulled away and repeated it louder so dad could hear as well.

I grabbed the passport that was resting between my parents, and I rushed to the car.

I was almost there. I was so close that I could almost feel her.

(Katniss's POV)

I stared at my mother's silhouette in shock and anger. I was so close. All the planning and everything, and I was foiled only a foot away from the door.

My mother turned on the lights, and I winced at the sudden change.

I watched her as she took in my suitcase and a backpack I was using as a carry-on.

"Are you leaving?" She didn't need to ask. The answer was so plainly in front of her, so for once, I kept my mouth shut.

She didn't seem to appreciate my silence, though, because she asked again, "Katniss, are you leaving?" I couldn't help but notice how her voice wavered at the end.

"Yes, mum."

"Back to Effie? Back to you friends?"

I didn't know where she was going with this, but I knew that this conversation was only going to end in one way. And that was with me not leaving the house.

"Yes mum, I was planning to go back to North Carolina."

She nodded. I knew she wasn't expecting a different answer so I didn't know why she had asked. We stood in silence and I kicked at the floor, anxious. I wondered if it would please her to know that she was ripping my heart into pieces. I looked up, ready to tell her to ground me and make me go back to my room already, but the words died in my throat when I saw the tears brimming in her eyes.

"I know you hate me," I made no attempt to deny her whispered words, "But I want you to know that I love you. Katniss, I've been horrible to you and I think I've always known it. But when I lost your dad, I didn't want to lose you too. So I held you on a tight leash. I wanted you to do no wrong, but at the same time I neglected you. Your needs meant nothing to me, I just wanted you to be the perfect child. I was selfish and for that I'm sorry. I didn't want to lose you, but in the end I did."

I stood, frozen as she cried. I didn't – couldn't – understand what she was doing. My mother, who I thought had lost her soul after dad died, was a sobbing mess standing not five feet away from me.

"I know that once you leave, you will not come back," she continued, "And I don't want you to spend the rest of your life remembering me as a cold hearted bitch that had no love for her only child. I want you to remember me as the person I was before your father died. I want you to remember who I am now."

I stared at her, tears of my own falling down my cheeks. This was cruel. It would have been so much easier to leave this place knowing my mother was still as hateful as ever but there she was apologizing for everything.

"Mom-" She cut me off before I could continue.

"Please Kantiss, I know I don't deserve it but please, forgive me."

I had tried to stay strong and not break out in horrible sobs but it was all too much. I engulfed her into a hug and we cried on each other's shoulders. Her tears were for the forgiveness of her daughter who she thought she had lost forever and mine for my mother who I had just gotten back and was about to lose again.

Finally, we pulled away from each other and my mom gently kissed my forehead. "I'll send Eddie as soon as I can," she said as I wiped my eyes. My phone suddenly flashed from an incoming text. It was Gale. I had forgotten he was sitting in his car outside the door, waiting for me.

You still coming? His text said.

I faced the door, but then looked back at my mother. She gave me a small smile and said, "Your boyfriend, Peeta. He seems like a good guy. I'm sure he'll treat you right."

I turned back to the door and smiled, "Yeah, I'm sure he will." I held the dandelion necklace as I sent a reply to Gale. Then, with a deep breath, I walked out the door.

I'm coming.

(Peeta's POV)

It was raining. Hard. It came out of nowhere and didn't look like it was going to ease up anytime soon.

I looked at the dashboard. 2:00. I didn't have much time but I knew I could make it. I had too.

As soon as I got a parking spot, I all but ran to the airport, ignoring the massive thunderstorm breaking out around me I reached the shortest line and waited. The ten minutes I spent waiting felt like eternity. Finally, I reached the lady behind the counter.

"Mellark." I said hurriedly, "The 2:30 flight."

She clicked away on her computer for a bit before looking at me with an apologetic smile.

"I'm sorry," she said, "but that flight has been cancelled."

My heart dropped. This couldn't be happening. I got this far only to be stopped by a stupid cancelled flight.

When it was clear that the lady was not going to tell me it was all a joke and give me my boarding pass, I walked away. I had never felt so helpless. I walked out of the airport and just stood there, letting the rain soak me to the bone. Maybe this was a sign that I should just give up. Maybe Katniss didn't just break up with me to spare each other heartbreak. Maybe she actually didn't want me anymore and all this was happening so I wouldn't get to her only to be rejected.

This is all for the best, I told myself.

I shook my head. What was I thinking? It wasn't all for the best, and Katniss still wanted me. She had told me exactly why she broke up with me and I'd be an idiot to think otherwise. I looked up at the sky and begged for another chance, another opportunity to present itself. Then, I felt someone lightly tap my shoulder. I turned around to see a small figure. It was obviously a girl, and a hood covered her face. She was trying to read a piece of paper that was soaked beyond belief.

"I'm sorry," she said, trying to decipher the paper, "but could you tell me how to get a cab."

She looked up momentarily, and I caught her gray eyes go wide. I almost laughed. It was just my luck that the first person I looked at had to remind me of Kantiss.

She kept on staring with her mouth slightly agape, and I began to grow uncomfortable. The girl stuck the paper in her pocket; the movement caused her hoodie to shift and I caught a glance of a small pendant. A dandelion.

I froze. It couldn't be her. It couldn't be.

But I had to be sure. With her eyes still trained on me, I slowly pulled the hood off of her head and there she was. My Kantiss.

"Katniss."

"Peeta."

I broke into a grin when she said my name, and I picked her up and spun her around. "Katniss." I kissed her like there was no tomorrow and kept peppering her with kisses and repeating her name.

I finally came to my senses and led her to my car. We just sat there in silence. I stared straight ahead at the parking lot as I said, "Are you real? Is this just an amazing dream that I'm going to wake up from any moment now?"

"It's real," she said, "Or at least, I think it's real."

I looked at her. She was wearing a contagious smile. "How'd you get past your mom?"

She immediately stopped smiling. "She let me go." She looked back at me, and I saw all the pain filled in her eyes, "She apologized for being so horrible to me and I forgave her. Dad would have wanted me to forgive her."

I could see the tears brimming in her eyes, and I pulled her in for a hug. It felt so good to hug her. We were apart for less than two weeks, but to me it had felt like eternity. It had probably felt like eternity to her too. And, as crazy as it sounded, it felt good for her to cry on my shoulder because it was my shoulder she was crying on. It meant that I would always be there if she needed a shoulder to cry on again. I would always be there for her.

"I love you, Peeta." She murmured into my shoulder.

"I love you, too."

And I did. She was my grey eyed warrior, and I would always love her.

That's it! Again thank you to everyone who reviewed, followed, and favourited this story and thank you also to my beta IceCreamGurl6455 for helping me edit this story. You rock!

Bye :)