Chapter 5- It's only the Beginning

Katniss POV-

' okay Effie, yes I will tell her, okay'
'don't forget to wake her'
'I won't I never do, but can you please leave now, I don't want to wake her'
'okay fine'

I hear their hushed voices but don't dare to open my eyes, I lie there, wrapped in a cocoon of warmth and comfort. The door closed gently, you could only tell this by the muffled sounds off the carpet as the door slides across it. The firm yet heavy footsteps making there way to the bathroom, The sound of Peeta's night wear hitting the floor, followed by the sudden rush of droplets and heavy thuds against the bottom and sides of the bath tub. The faint smell of steam fills the room along with the sweet scent of strawberries.
A deep and soulful voice breaks away from the other sounds that fill the air, then a slight humming when he forgets the words, a simple and sweet smile breaks out across my lips.

The sounds come to a halt. I creep my eyelids open an inch to get a quick glimpse of Peeta's muscular frame, the bathroom door swings open, as Peeta emerges from amongst the steam. He walks tall and mighty out from the steamy mist's. His waves blonde locks, hanging over his vibrant, glassy blue eyes, forming little droplets to trickle down his manly features. His skin giving off a healthily glow in the beams of sunlight, streaming through the crack in the curtains. His towel hanging loosely around his hips, showing off his six pack and v shaped pelvis.

He walks over to the dresser and then back into the bathroom. My cheeks growing hotter and hotter from what I have just witnessed.

He walks out of the bathroom once again, this time I don't dare to move, or even move my eye lids hoping he won't notice I'm awake.
I feel the mattress sink as he lowers his body onto the bed, His warm and firm arms snaking around my waist, his soft yet hard worked fingers tracing the lines of my jaw and neck. He tucks some stray hair behind my ear.
'I know your awake' his warm, cool breathe tickles my ear and I flinch, a shiver runs down my spine and his grip tightens.
I flutter my eyes open to meet the ocean of blue before me. He places a gentle morning kiss upon my lips ' good morning beautiful' a broad smile stretches across his face.
A sleepy moan escapes my lips.
' nice to see you too' jokes Peeta
I flutter my eyes 'I'm sorry, I'm just too comfy to move right now… good morning' I kiss his cheek and snuggle close to his chest,
There's nothing but the sound of his heart beat which fills my ears. There is a long silence.

Peeta POV-

She looks as beautiful as ever.
Her smile, dazzling.
Her hair in perfect shiny, beach waves .
Her eyes, smiling at me.
Her rosy pink lips, soft and silky.

I watch her chest rise and fall and watch her eyes glisten as beams of life shoot through them,
Her head leans against my thighs, her eyes stare out into the blue, trapped in painful memories of home. A single tear begins to journey down her left cheek, followed by another.
She seems peaceful and broken all at the same time.
I stroke her hair and run my fingers through it, feeling the soft silk escape in and out of my finger tips.

She jolts upright and screams ' I promise prim' at the top of her voice until her lungs give out and she has to gasp for breath.
She slowly lies back down again and curls up in a ball trying to cover her face with her arms.

Katniss's POV-

I feel his eyes on me and myself growing hotter, glowing bright red!

'katniss are you okay?' I peer out to look at his expression, which only shows concern.
' I guess' I mumble under my breath but he still manages to hear it.

I feel the warmth from his body as his arms snake around my waist pulling me closer to him.
Then his firm hand under my chin, slowly lifting it till grey meets blue.
' it'll be okay, she is safe and I know you'll be going home to her' then are lips meet and for those few seconds of closeness, nothing else matters, everything disappears, all my worries and fears gone.
I flutter my eyes open and lock them with peeta's and we just sit their looking into each others souls.
I think to myself , that this is a peaceful and perfect moment, no fear, no hunger, no worries.
It's just me and Peeta in our little bubble.

Until Effie barges into the room and burst goes our bubble.

'peeta I told you to wake her and come to the dining cart for breakfast nearly an hour ago' snaps Effie as she open the curtains letting in a tiny bit of morning light.
'Effie you can't just barge in! what if Katniss or I had been naked?' snaps peeta back
'well you weren't' says Effie holding her head up in triumph.
'well don't just sit there looking dazed, breakfast is in 5 and naked or ready you will be there' squeaks Effie leaving the room with her head held high.

'best be getting ready then' I smirk at peeta
'I surpose' laughs peeta as we joke around.

I shower and put on the same clothes I had on yesterday, they are abit crumbled but not dirty so what does it matter I think to myself.

We head to the dining cart hand in hand and brace ourselves for Effie's riot at us because we may have spent 30 minutes getting ready instead of 5 and locked the door so Effie couldn't get in.

'finally, look who decided to join us' says haymitch sarcastically from across the room.
Effie turns and gives us the evils before going back to doing her nails.

We just ignore her and head towards the dining table.
Peeta pulls out my chair and sits in the chair across from haymitch, who is eating what looks like porridge.

I sit down and put my napkin on my lap before taking a drink of the fresh apple juice sitting in front of me.
Peeta and haymitch chat about the breads, well peeta chats about the different breads haymitch just kindly nods along to what he is saying.

The red haired girl serves me and peeta our toast and porridge.
I eat quietly and keep to myself, tuned out to peeta's and haymitch's conversation till I hear peeta say 'no because then I would light a fire' I full tune in now.
Haymitch just laughs 'well that's a good way to get yourself killed'
'what?' I say with a completely confused expression across my face.
'I was just asking haymitch, how do you find shelter' says peeta in a comforting voice trying to help me.
'and that would help if you were indeed still alive' smirks haymitch to himself
'so how do you find shelter?' I ask with more confidence then my first question.
'look darling, I'm just up and I don't need to take this crap from you so how about you let me eat my breakfast and I will consider teaching you the basics' he gives me an award winning smirk of triumph before reaching for the jam,
out of range and humiliation I pick up my butter knife and stab straight into the table just in-between his middle and fore fingers. This startles everyone.
'That is mahogany' snaps Effie
Distracted by Effie, I don't notice haymitch has pulled the knife from the table.
He humours me ' oh well done sweetheart, you just killed the place mat. I bet you can't throw this at that moose head hanging on the wall and hit it'
I stupidly take the knife 'oh yeah well watch this' I brag!
The knife goes whizzing through the air and to my surprise not only hit's the moose head but right in the eye making me look a lot better than I actually am.

Haymitch just stares in disbelief, with his mouth wide open.
'ho,,ho..how…dii..d….y..yo..you..do..that? Wow!' he stutters out
'I didn't know you were that good' says peeta from behind me, a hint of amazement and awe in voice.
'both of you over there' snaps haymitch indicating that we need to stand in the part of the room with the most light. ' I want to get a good look at you' .
We stand there for what seems like forever! Haymitch circles us at least 50 times each, poking and prodding every square inch of are bodies. He mumbles a few words to himself before standing about 3 feet away from us, he strokes stubble along his jaw line and just stares at us.

I look at peeta and see that he is just as confused as I am.

'would you believe it Effie' booms haymitch's voice startling peeta and I
'sorry what?' says Effie puzzled as ever.
'would you believe it, they actually sent me some real fighters this year, there not that attractive but…' we cut haymitch off after that comment with a unison loud 'HEY!' from peeta and I.
'oh shut up!' snaps haymitch ' I was saying you guys aren't drop dead gorgeous but your both fighters an have what I need to get you home' he pauses ' well at least one of you, that is' he tries to mumble this but we hear it loud and clear.

As the thought hits us our eyes start to get glassy and little droplets start to form in the corners of our eyes, I throw myself at peeta, wrapping my arms tightly around his waist, burying my head into his chest as the tears start to fall.

Life without peeta, I just can't image it and I won't, I suck back the tears and make a vow to myself that no matter what it takes I am not leaving the arena without him and that I'm going to do everything in my will to make sure we make it out alive.

Peeta's POV-

She stops crying but doesn't dare move her head from my chest.
I struggle not to cry myself, because the news is just as painful as death it's self, I know she loves me but she has no idea just how much I truly love her, ever since we were 5 I have loved her, and even when she didn't return those feelings I didn't stray, never have I ever felt this way for anyone.

I think to myself that there is no chance of me winning anyway but I am going to make sure she makes it home, to her family, to her friends and nothing will harm her.

Then I see it through the window it's the capitol!

Katniss's POV-

I feel peeta arms tense up around me, I lift my head from his chest to see his eyes fixated on the window, only then do I realise he is staring at the capitol, we go over to the window and stares at the luxurious landscape, taking in everything, from the tiny boats along a canal to the offices in the skyscrapers.

I had seen pictures of the capitol before but they had never truly captured the beauty and size of it all, although I have great hatred towards the capitol, I have to admit it is spectacular!

In a blink of an eye it's gone, the dark walls of the tunnel is all that is in view.
We are travelling through a tunnel in the mountains, which I think used to be called the rocky mountains.

Just as quick as we entered the tunnel, we exit it, not to be welcomed by a dazzling landscape but a very large crowd of capitol citizens, all screaming and pointing at us.
Peeta just waves back and smiles, he clearly knows what he is doing because the crowd are eating it up, loving it, every last bit.
I begin to join in and that gets pretty much the same response.
Covers slide over the outside of the windows till we can no longer see the crowd.

Just as peeta and I are heading away from the windows, the train holts to a stop.
Unbalanced I nearly fall flat on my face, if it weren't for peeta that is.
Just before I face plat the floor his muscular arms snake around my waist and pull me up with next to no effort at all, I look into his eyes I manage to get out ' thank you' before he lays a long passionate kiss upon my lips.

'okay, cut it out you two, it's time to face your biggest fans!' says haymitch clearly dreading the moment we have to step off the train.
I interlock my fingers with peeta and squeeze so hard that all the blood must have stopped reaching his fingers. I don't dare let go.

'ready to go?' peeta gestures to the door
I give him a little nod and kiss his cheek

we follow haymitch out the dining cart and to the door we entered the train through
we all look at each other.
My legs turn to jelly and I start shaking uncontrollably.
Peeta gives my hand a reassuring squeeze and the door opens…