I do not own The Hunger Games

Chapter Eight-A day of healing.

(Peeta)

I rubbed my hands all over my face and through my hair in the attempt to show Katniss how the flour had literally covered me. I was trying to restrain a laugh; because I'm pretty sure Katniss thought laughter was a thing we did not deserve. As much as I understand that, I missed laughing, but I missed her laughter even more. Just as I was about to move on to the part of the story when my dad and brothers stormed in, Katniss let out some strange noise, at first I thought she was about to start sobbing, but it sounded to lighthearted. She slapped her hands over her mouth, and looked at me like she had done something horrible.

"No, no its okay. You can laugh! You can laugh Katniss!" I almost shouted, taking her hands in mine.

A smile overtook her face, it was incredible, I hadn't seen her smile in what felt like years. She fell into my arms and I held her, but not in the way I usually do. It wasn't holding her to stop her sobs or to protect her; I was holding her because we were both almost happy. I laughed right along with her, at first it was about the flour, and then I was laughing because of how much I loved the broken girl in my arms and I laughed because for the first time in a long time, I had some hope growing in my chest.

After she leaned back into her chair I looked into her eyes. The looked happier than usual, they still were coated with sorrow, but they glowed more now.

"Okay, one thing. What was so funny?" I asked her.

"Your face, your hair. Covered in flour. But what was really funny was the way you explained it with your hands." She chuckled, fixing my hair.

"Well, then that story most definitely has to go in the book, and we have to write down the details of your laugh. I've never heard anything like it."

I made a mental note to never ever forget her laugh. It would keep me going, her face lit up with laughter. Nothing was better than that.

After lunch, Katniss decided to go hunting. I wasn't completely thrilled she was leaving, but I was used to it, and she would be back in a few hours. As she started to walk out the door, I did something that surprised even me. I grabbed her, pulled her back into my arms and placed a soft kiss on her lips. The dynamite exploded in my stomach, as it always had, before I was taken by the capitol. I was glad that the feeling had returned.

"See ya in a bit." I said.

She hugged me and walked down the street.

As I turned to go back in the house I realized two things. When I kissed her, there were no nightmares. That's kiss number two with nothing but real thoughts. I congratulated myself. Then I realized how far we've come. When I had first come back to 12, I had only been able to be around her a few hours at a time, and I could only communicate my love for her, and my sorrow that I felt for her brokenness through things like planting primroses in her yard, and making her lamb stew. But now, I could kiss her, and hold her till she want to sleep, I could think about all our memoires and not get confused. Ha, take that capitol, not even hijacking me could really keep Katniss and I apart for long.

I decided to take a nap, so I stretched out on the couch, ever so slightly pleased with my accomplishments.

When I woke up the sun was starting to go down, meaning Katniss would probably be back soon. I headed to kitchen and called Greasy Sae to tell her not to bring us diner tonight. Katniss walked in about an hour or so later. She had that look on her faced to showed she been thinking over things again, it was a mixture of sorrow and ease. She sat down on the table and took a big sniff of air.

"Lamb stew." She said with a smile forming on her face.

"You've smiled a lot today."

"It's been a good day."

"You know, my dad used to tell me about this. That after a bad thing happened, everything got better, you'd always have your bad days, but some days would almost feel like things were normal again."

She thought for a minute, and then looked at me like she had just discovered something about herself, and her life.

"Yeah, your right. You know we should take the leftovers down to Greasy Sae and Callie."

"Great idea."

So after we finished eating we put the leftovers into a bowl and headed out the door. We held hands as we walked through town. More and more people were coming back to 12, and more and more renovations were being made. Some waved at us when we walked by, I could tell some people were a little scared to see me, and tons of people looked at Katniss with a huge amount of respect in their eyes.

When we reached Greasy Sae's house, she opened the door and was obviously surprised to see us. I handed her the soup,

"Well, thank you, but we've already eaten tonight."

"Then eat it tomorrow." Katniss said.

"Yeah, I can make diner tomorrow so you won't have to worry about bringing us anything." I added. Katniss gave me a look of thanks.

"You've done so much for us, it's the least we can do." Katniss told her, and her words sent a whirl through my stomach, because she talked about us like a couple almost.

"Thank you dears. You are too sweet." Greasy Sae said.

Katniss wrapped her arms around the sweet woman, and when they broke apart Callie ran out the door. Her ponytail bouncing with every step.

"Peeta! Katniss!" She yelled, wrapping one arm around my waist and the other around Katnisses. Katniss seemed a little sad; my only explanation for that would be Callie must remind her of Prim.

"Hey Callie." I said, hugging her back.

"Alright Callie, come on, it's time for bed. Goodnight Peeta and Katniss. Thank you. I will see you soon." She closed the door behind her.

Katniss and I headed back to her house, this time with my arm around her shoulders.

"She is so much like Prim." Katniss whispered.

"Does it make you sad? When you see her?"

"A little, it just reminds me that Prim's gone. But I like her too. The same way I liked Rue, because she reminds me of Prim, so I want to be close to her. I want to protect her."

"Katniss, she isn't in any danger."

"That's why I get confused. And sad. I feel like it's not fair, that Prim and Rue where always in danger. They were forced to grew up so fast, and Callie gets to live her life, without danger, without the games." She winced when she said games.

I wrapped my other arm around her, and we stopped in the middle of the road.

"Katniss." I looked right into her grey eyes. "That is exactly why you need Callie in your life. You need her innocence, and her safe feeling. You need to be around someone who isn't dragged down by memories."

I wasn't really talking about Callie specifically, because we aren't that close to her, I was more about talking about children in general. I wanted children someday. But I wasn't bringing that up anytime soon. I think she understood what I meant though.

She looked a little mad, and a new sadness overtook her eyes. Like she wanted to tell me something, but she didn't want to hurt my feelings. She hugged me tightly and we kept walking.

Katniss and I went to bed early that night. I crawled into bed, wrapping her in my arms.

"Stay all night?" She asked.

"Just till you fall asleep Katniss."

"Peeta…"

"It's been a really good day, let's not push are luck."

"Mmm." She sighed and pushed her face closer to my chest, falling asleep in a matter of minutes. I kissed her forehead, but I slept on the chair in her room that night, I didn't have it in me to leave her.

Thank you for reading! Please leave a review and tell me what you think, it makes me want to write more. Again, if you have any suggestions or criticism I would love to hear it. For all you that have reviewed, thank you so much! You all make my day everyday. You are so sweet and supportive. I love you all! The next chapter will hopefully be up before Monday, but I'm not positive.