Sorry it has been forever. I have been super busy and now just got around to finishing it. I will have another chapter out soon.
Chapter 4 – The Train
Despite getting no sleep afterwards, I wake my sleepy butt up early. I go to the bathroom and brush my teeth. The house is so silent in the morning. It's eerie. I walk down the hall to see if Annie and Kai are still sleeping. I poke my head in. They are both out cold.
I walk back to Peeta's and my room. Gingerly, I walk over to Peeta and kiss him on his lips. His eyes flicker open. His hands come up and meet my face. He strokes it gently.
"Get up, we're going on an adventure." His puzzled look makes me smile. "I want to show you something before the train comes."
"You know the train doesn't get here until noon. It's five in the morning." Peeta takes a pillow and covers his face. "Let me sleep a little bit more," he yells underneath it. I try to rip it off, but his strong arms wrap around me and pull me down. He rolls on top of me and kisses me.
"Stop," I playfully yell. Then it hits me. It's just a flash, but it hits hard. Clove is on top of me. I'm pinned down. Trapped.
"You're safe! You're fine. It's just me, it's Peeta." I reach up and pull myself up tight to him. I hold him so close I feel like I might hurt him. He just holds me closer. I relax a little.
"I'm sorry, I saw Clove." I cling onto him even harder. We stay there, huddled together, for quite some time. Finally, I feel safe again. "Let's go. If we hurry we can just make it."
"Are you sure you're alright?" Peeta raises a questioning eyebrow at me.
"I'm fine really. I mean I do have you after all." A smile streaks across his face. In no time at all we are out the door and racing across town to the Meadow. The sky is just beginning to turn from pink to gold when we reach the rock. I reach the top first and then turn to quickly haul Peeta up. We just made it despite his leg. Luckily we weren't trying to be quiet.
As the Sun's ray begin to peak over the mountain, Peeta and I settle down in the little nook formed by the rocks. "Are you ready for the show?" I ask him. He wraps an arm around me and kisses my forehead. I pull out a flask of hot chocolate and pour us each a cup. The sun is coming over the mountains but my eyes are glued on Peeta's face. It's so bright with life. His whole body seems to glow. Not just literally because of the Sun. But he is something beyond that. He seems to be radiating light himself. His blue eyes shine light gems. He smiles at the sight before him.
"Katniss…it's…beautiful," he utters. I find it to be an accomplishment to make Peeta at a loss for words. "There's only one thing missing. You." He turns his head to look at me. Before he can make the first move, I throw my lips onto his. We don't stay like this long enough. For me at least. He breaks away first for air.
"I love you, Peeta." I want to say more, but I'm still not very good with words. Instead, I rest my head on his chest as he rests his chin on top of it. We sat for the next few hours on top of the rocks. At ten, we made our way back to the house. Effie was waiting on the top step of our porch looking irate.
"And just where have you two been? I have been waiting here since seven thirty. I thought you of all people would be ready, Peeta Mellark. I had to go try to get Haymitch ready instead," she fumed. "He tried to slash me with a knife. I was appalled. One my way out, I rolled my ankle on an empty bottle and broke the heel. So, if you wouldn't mind. Grab your stuff and let's go." She was on the verge of tears. I had to fix this now or this whole trip would be a nightmare.
"Effie, I'm sorry to hear what happened. If you would like, I have a pair of shoes that might match your, can I just say, your absolutely stunning outfit," I remark with enough sincerity to make Effie smile. The truth is she looks like a barrel. Her dress is light and dark brown strips with several large hoops underneath. This is oddly matched with her bright baby blue wig. "Cinna designed them for one of my dresses for the tour but I never go to wear them. Would you like to try them on?"
"I would appreciate that very much. Thank you Katniss." By the time Effie gets the new shoes on, she is back to normal. She quickly makes us pack. We out the door by ten thirty and rushed over to Haymitch's disaster of a home.
Upon arrival at his door he appears completely dressed and ready to go. "Oh, I was just about to come find you all. I also wanted to apologize for my reaction to you this morning," he states.
"It is quite alright. I…" Effie begins but is cut off.
"Ya see, I was dreaming I was being eaten by a brown mutt with blue hair and when I awoke, I thought it was coming true." Haymitch grins maliciously at Effie. I try to hold a laugh in but fail miserably. Peeta has to cover my mouth so Effie doesn't hear.
"I suggest you keep comments like that to yourself before I throw a lit match down your throat and watch you explode." Now both Peeta and I are laughing uncontrollably. Haymitch grabs his bags and pushes past the three of us to the car waiting for us. "Well, I finally learned how to shut him up." Effie snaps her fingers at Peeta and I while we try to catch our breaths.
The train's engine rumbles fill the air at the station. I reach for Peeta's hand. I never thought I would be getting on this train again. Peeta and I slowly make our way onto the platform. I somehow feel like I'm heading to my funeral and not on my way to save Prim and my friends.
"It's going to be fine. I won't let anything happen to you. Ever." Peeta turn me to him. His hands cradle my face. They're warm like fresh bread. I sink into his warmth.
"I love you, Peeta." I place a soft kiss on his lips. We quickly board and find our room. A porter comes by to drop off our luggage and that our presence is requested in the dining car. Peeta gives me a look like he is about to yell at someone. We both know that from now until our deaths we will be constantly running around.
"Just once, I would like a moment to seat and enjoy life," Peeta states. He walks over to the bed and sits. I watch him intently as he unstraps his prosthetic leg and chucks it under the bed. "I'm taking a nap, tell them I can't find my leg and you won't help me find it."
"That makes me look bad." Not that I really care since people like Peeta better anyway. I am after all a slug compare to him.
"Nothing can make you look bad." Peeta smiles at me as he plops down on the bed. He closes his eyes and pretends to snore obnoxiously loud. "Don't forget to bring me back something to eat."
"You'll get nothing and like it," I scream as I slam the door. I make my way through the train, rocking back and forth. I make it to the dining car well after everyone has been there. Plutarch, Fulvia, Haymitch, Gale, Dr. Aurelius, Johanna and Effie sit at the mahogany table. I look around at the unchanged room. I can still see the chink where I lodged the knife in the wall on my first trip to the capitol.
"Have seat Katniss, please." Plutarch tone is strangely nice. As if he has some bad news to deliver to me. "Will Peeta be joining us?"
"No, he threw his leg under the bed and is taking a nap." Haymitch, Gale and Johanna laugh as I say this. "He does want me to bring him something to eat."
"Katniss, this is hardly a time to joke around." Fulvia looks at me sternly. "We have spent too much time and effort on this project to let you screw it up."
"Just like we all gave up our lives fighting in the hunger games and the rebellion so you could keep your fancy job?" Johanna question stings Fulvia. Johanna shoots a smile at me across the table. I guess roommates still got stick up for each other.
"Can we end all this idiotic banter and get on with the meeting?" Plutarch doesn't wait for an answer. "Katniss, we need to talk to you about your mission. There is more than just saving your sister."
"Like what?" I see everyone's eyes shift around to each other. No one looks at me. They are keeping secret from me again. "Listen here. I am not a child anymore. You will tell me what is wrong now or I will personally send an arrow into each and every one of you. Do not bullshit me anymore. Tell what is wrong and I will handle it like the adult I am."
Haymitch gets up from the table and circles around to the liquor table. He pours straight bourbon.
"A council has made a decision. They want you to go back and save the tributes from the 74th and 75th Hunger Games. I'm sorry Katniss. You're going back into the arena." Haymitch hands me the glass and I down it quickly.