KATNISS'S POV
"Let's try and get some food or something. I'm starving." Peeta says.
"Me too," I sigh.
"Hey look, a blue fr-" He reaches for a frog, and I cry out, put my hand on his stomach and push him back from the frog
"No!" I gasp, instantly recognizing it.
"What? It's just a frog Katniss, it's only-" he says
"Only a Poison Arrow Frog." I say. We're knee deep in the river and there's a poison arrow frog not three feet from me. I see the eyes of a gator not ten feet from me. "Peeta," I begin quietly, "Let's walk on land, next to the river. I don't like this at all." I say.
"It's just one frog Katniss," He insists.
"And just a gator, oh and look, there's a snake, right there!" I point above him in a tree, where a Boa Constrictor sits. "Let's go, out of the water. Now." He knows I'm not taking no for an answer. I grab his hand and pull him out of the river. "Let's keep going that way." I point down the river, further from the beach.
"Okay," he puts his hand on the small of my back. I walk forwards. "How do you know so much about rainforests when you grew up in New York City?" he asks.
"Well…when I was a teenager, I used to lock myself in my room when I was in that stage where you just want to be alone. What do you think I did, stare at the wall?" I laugh. "I Googled all kinds of stuff. I got interested in wildlife and…" I shrug. "I guess I picked up a few things. You would think you would know that, considering we're married with three kids." I smile at him over my shoulder.
"So what's this then?" he points at a leaf.
"That…" I act like I'm inspecting it as I pick it up. He looks intrigued. "Is a leaf," I throw it at him and get his face.
"Hey!" he exclaims, grinning. "That was very nice."
"Well…don't ask stupid questions. It's a leaf, not a being with blood and a heartbeat." I laugh.
"Fine then, what's that?" he points into the distance. I follow his finger.
"What's what? I don't see anything." He points the camera at something and turns my head. "That. There, see it? The orange thing, with the black dots. Can't you see it, Kat? It's staring right at us with it's teeth barred." He says. My eyes lock with the animal, my heartrace picks up and my blood thunders in my ears.
HAYMITCH'S POV
"Oh god," Lillian moans and buries her head in her hands.
"That…that is a jaguar." Katniss whispers to Peeta. "Their territory range an be up to ten square miles. And we're less than a mile away. And it sees us."
"Oh fuck," Annie drops her glass of water. We all went to Vermont anyways.
"What's gonna happen to Mama and Daddy?" Bailee whispers, sucking her thumb with her blanket in her mouth. Brennan, Bailee and Haille just woke from their naps.
Surely they have someone there with them? They wouldn't just leave them there to die, right?
Baille starts crying, and Lillian opens her arms for her granddaughter.
"When is Mama and Daddy gonna come home?" Hallie asks, sitting down in my lap.
"Soon," I say. I may be bitter and rude, but I love these kids like I love my own. Brennan climbs into Ethan's lap (Kat's Dad, Lillian is her Mom)
And then, it cuts to commercial, making all of us shout in protest.
KATNISS'S POV
My only thought is that Annie got the kids away from the TV.
My eyes search wildly for anything. A tree to climb, a branch, something to get us an escape.
"A jaguar?" he blurts loudly. It growls.
"Peeta, shut the fuck up." I snarl under my breath. I look at the tree next to me, and decide to give it a shot. "You trust me, right?" I whisper.
"Yes," he whispers back. I slowly start to climb the tree. The jaguar lunges towards Peeta and I grab his wrist, not caring that he drops the camera as I pull him into the tree and teaching him to climb, both of u shouting at one another in panic as the jaguar snarls and lunges at the tree, trying to catch one of us.
HAYMITCH'S POV
The show doesn't come back on. Instead, ABC action news does. "We have lost connection with Katniss Mellark and Peeta Mellark's camera. We don't know what has happened. We can get noise, and this is what we hear."
The screen goes to that stupid black and white fuzzy shit you get when you have no cable on the screen.
"No Peeta, you fucking idiot, that branch, if you grab that one, it'll break and you'll fall and that fucking jaguar will have a nice tasty dinner tonight!"
I'm surprised they're not censoring out the words.
"I'm not a fucking idiot!" he snaps back.
"Just shut it and grab onto that branc-Peeta!" her voice fills with terror and I hear a cracking noise.
KATNISS'S POV
"Are you hard of hearing! I said that one!" I have his hand, and he's hanging in the air.
JOHANNA'S POV
"Hear that?" Finnick asks me.
"Hear what?" I repeat.
"That growling. I hear two people screaming and-"
HAYMITCH'S POV
It suddenly switches from Sweetheart and Peeta to Johanna and Finnick.
"It sounds like Brainless and Loverboy!" Johanna exclaims. Their camera works perfectly fine.
JOHANNA'S POV
"Stop fucking moving or I'm going to end up dropping you and your going to die!" Brainless screams at Loverboy. I shove some vines out of my way and am met with the river, and right on the other side, there is a Jaguar clawing at the tree they're in, Katniss in the tree, holding onto Peeta's wrist as he dangles. It's on camera right now. "PEETA STOP MOVING!" she screams at him.
'I'M TRYING!" he screams right back at her.
HAYMITCH'S POV
Hallie, Brennan and Bailee may be young, but they can understand, and they get that something isn't right and their parents are in danger. "BRAINLESS! HOLD ON!" Johanna shouts. Katniss looks up and her face floods with relief. The three children start crying, almost at the same time.
FINNICK'S POV
"We need to kill it." Johanna cracks her neck and pulls a vine from a tree. "Let's hope I live." She ties a slip knot and walks into the river and onto the other side.
She's fucking retarted. She climbs into a tree close to Katniss and Peeta's and drops the rope and hooks it around the jaguars neck.
"Johanna! Do you have a fucking death wish!" Peeta shouts.
"Shut up loverboy. I'm saving your ass." Johanna ties the vine around her waist and drops from the tree, dangling the tiger by the neck.
"Oh my god, that is so sad! Your choking it, Johanna!" Katniss says.
"So? Why do you care?"
"You can let me go now." Peeta says. Katniss releases Peeta and jumps from the tree.
"You suppose this piece of shit still works?" Johanna kicks the camera.
"Wellif it did, it doesn't now." Peeta says. He turns to Katniss. "Okay?" he asks. She hugs him.
"Yes. Don't do that again."
HAYMITCH'S POV
"She is most defiantly your daughter." Prim says to me. I grin at the fact that my daughter just strangled a jaguar with a vine.
"Is Mama and Daddy okay, uncle?" Hallie asks me.
"Your mother and father are fine sweetie, see?" I point to the screen.
JOHANNA'S POV
"So…I'm fucking hungry. Have you eaten, because we haven't." I say.
KATNISS'S POV
"No, we haven't." I say.
"Have you drunken? We haven't." Finn says.
"Oh yeah," I pick up the sharp rock and beat it into a bamboo tree. Water pours out and I fill four leaves.
"Suppose we find a waterfall. Then we should go and get some food." Peeta says.
"Agreed, lets go."
…..s…..
I didn't think food would be such a problem. We found a waterfall, and it's been over forty eight hours since we ate. We're all starving and winded.
"If I just had a bow." I run water over my face and wad into the lake, soak myself and lay back down next to Peeta on my leaf.
"If you need a bow to get us some food, Johanna'll make you a bow. I'm going to take advantage of growing up from age eleven on a fishing boat and I'm going to get us some fish." Finnick rises. "Do we have some sort of wire?" he asks.
"No. Try to use the shitty camera." Johanna says.
"I'll start a fire. We should've done that last night." I sit up and gather wood and stuff, taking a piece of the camera that's go metal and a rock and start to try and make a fire. When that fails, I get a piece of wood, put some moss near it, get a stick and start to rub it quickly back and forth.
"Let's get some music going." Johanna says.
"We can't." I roll my eyes at her.
"You've got a good singing voice Kat, use it." Peeta says.
"Well what should in sing?" I demand as I rub the stick faster. It's beginning to smoke. I move my hands down some.
"Sing some Demi. Oh, she's got a good voice. Sing that song about love and the US." Jo says.
"Um…" I don't remember any Demi. Who's Demi. I don't ask though, but I'm taken back in time to me asking Hallie and Baille what they wanted for Christmas when they were four.
"What do you want for Christmas, my beautiful girls?" I ask, tying off the braid in Bailee's blonde curls as I begin to brush Hal's hair.
"I want a Demi album Mama!" Hallie says.
"Demi? Who is that, honey?" I ask.
"Demi Lovato Mama! That girl on Disney! In that movie with the boys! Member she sings that song you like on the radio? Heart tack?" Bailee asks.
"Heart Attack?" I ask.
"Yeah Mama!" Hallie says.
"Oh, I know now." I smile.
I did get them that album, and I remember I always was forced to listen to it in the car.
"I don't remember how that song goes, but I know Heart Attack." I say.
"Isn't that the girl that girls love?" Peeta asks.
"Yeah, I think so. They got her album for Christmas."
"Yeah, that's how I know her. And that movie. You know the USA song, I promise." Johanna says.
"Well how does it go?" I demand.
"I know she says Made in the USA…"
"Oh! I know it now!" I exclaim.
"Well sing it." Finn says. He dives under water again.
Our love runs deep like a chevy
If you fall I'll fall with you baby
Cause that's the way we like to do it
That's the way we like
You run around open doors like a gentleman
Tell me girl every day you're my everything
Cause that's the way you like to do it
That's the way you like
Just a little West Coast, and a bit of sunshine
Hair blowing in the wind, losing track of time
Just you and I, just you and I
Woah, woah
No matter how far we go, I want the whole world to know
I want you bad, and I wont have it any other way
No matter what the people say,
I know that we'll never break
Cause our love was made, made in the USA
Made in the USA, yeah
You always reading my mind like a letter
When I'm cold, you're there like a sweater
Cause that's the way we like to do it
That's the way we like
And never ever let the world get the best of you
Every night we're apart, I'm still next to you
Cause that's the way I like to do it
That's the way I like
We touch down on the east coast
Dinner in the sky rise, winter is the best time for walking in the city lights
You and I, you and I
Woah woah
No matter how far we go, I want the whole world to know
I want you bad, and I wont have it any other way
No matter what the people say,
I know that we'll never break
Cause our love was made, made in the USA
Cause baby I'll bite the bullet
And take the blow for love
Woahhhh, our love was made in the usa
Made in the usa, made in the usa
No matter how far we go, I want the whole world to know
I want you bad, and I wont have it any other way
No matter what the people say,
I know that we'll never break
Cause our love was made, made in the USA
Made in the USA, yeah
Made in the U.S.
Made in the U.S.
Made in the U.S.A
"Good Brainless!" Jo says. I laugh and rub the sick harder. The moss next to it catches fire, and I sigh in relief and add stuff to build it up.
Finn walks out of the water with two fishes. "I got some food. For your singing Kitty," he grins and starts to cook them. Johanna is widdling an arrow.
"Well don't stop singing!" Peeta says.
"Okay…lets get some Ariana Grande. I need a boy." I say.
"I'll do it. I know what song it is."
I love the way you make me feel
I love it, I love it
I love the way you make me feel
I love it, I love it
Finn:
I say,
I'm thinkin' bout her every second, every hour
Do my singin' in the shower
Pickin' petals off of flowers like
Do she love me, do she love me not? (love me not)
I ain't a player, I just crush a lot (crush a lot)
Me:
You give me that kind of something
Want it all the time, need it every day
On a scale of one to ten I'm at a hundred
Never get enough, I can't stay away
If you want it, I got it, I got it everyday
You can get whatever you need from me
Stay by your side I'll never leave you
And I ain't going nowhere cause you're a keeper
So dont you worry, baby you got me
I got a bad boy, I must admit it
You got my heart, dont know how you did it
And I dont care who sees it babe
I dont want to hide the way I feel when youre next to me
Chorus:
I love the way, I love the way
Baby I love the way, ooh I love the way
The way I love you
Ooh it's so crazy you get my heart jumpin'
When you put your lips on mine
And honey it ain't a question (q- question)
Cause boy I know just what you like
So if you need it, I got it, I got it everyday
Be your lover and friend, you'll find it all in me
Stay by your side, (I'll never leave you)
And I ain't going nowhere cause you're a keeper
So don't you worry, baby you got me
I got a bad boy, I must admit it
You got my heart, don't know how you did it
And I don't care who sees it babe
I don't wanna hide the way I feel when you're next to me
I love the way, I love the way
Baby I love the way, ooh I love the way
The way I love you
Finn:
Uh, uh
I make you feel so fine, make you feel so fine
I hope you hit me on my belly when I sneak in your mind
You a princess to the public but a freak when its time
Said your bed be feeling lonely so you sleepin' in mine ( ew, no )
Come and watch a movie with me
American Beauty or Bruce Almighty, that's groovy
Just come and move closer to me
I got some feelings for you I'm not gonna get bored of
But baby you an adventure so let me come and explore you
So don't you worry, baby you got me
I got a bad boy, I must admit it
You got my heart, don't know how you did it
And I don't care who sees it babe
I don't wanna hide the way I feel when you're next to me
I love the way, I love the way
Baby I love the way, ooh I love the way
I love the way, I love the way
baby I love the way, ooh i love the way
The way I love you
The way I love you, you, you
Yeah, the way
I love the way you make me feel
I love it, I love it
I love the way you make me feel
I love it, the way I love you
can make you love me more
Soon enough, the four of us are eating fish and singing stupid songs. Johanna and I manage to make something to cover our chests and crotch, and we give it to the boys, too.
"Let's song SpongeBob!" Peeta says excitedly.
"Songebob?" I laugh.
"The campfire song!" Finn says.
"Yeah!" Him and Finn high five. We all start singing again. After a while, Johanna hands me a bow and twelve arrows. Finn wove a basket and he gave it to me and I put the arrows in it.
"Get us more food kitty!" Finn exclaims. I stand up and wipe the dirt off my butt and load the bow Johanna made. I see a huge fish and I kill it and grab it by the arrow and pullit out of the river with a satisfied grin.
….s….
We do nothing for a week but joke around and I shoot some fish and we sing songs and play games and quiz each other on random stuff.
"Can I get a hell no?" Jo asks.
"Cause we gonna go all night." I fill.
We all start singing Miley Cyrus as I shoot another fish.
"How many days has it been?" I ask once its night and we're bored.
"um…I don't know." Peeta admits.
"Well…in a week we should head to the beach and start to make the raft for extraction, what do you think?" I ask.
….s….
That's what we do. And I hate it. I'm covered in bug bites, the crotch hair is…gross, my legs are bushes, my arm pits are overgrown and I'm disgusted with myself and I'm ready for a shower. My hair is greasy, too. Johanna is in the same position as me. We stop at the top of the hill Peeta and I fell down and make camp. I don't know what day it is, but I don't utter a complaint even though I have a ton of them.
HAYMITCH'S POV
The kids are miserable and they managed to beg us to take them home, insisting they forgot them.
And they are most definatly Katniss's kids. They went and got a ton of their parents shirts for themselves and they took the food they like, the snacks that haven't gone bad, a ton of their own toys, and Brennan tried to get me to bring his bed.
They refuse to go to bed when told, they complain a lot, and they just really miss Sweetheart and Peeta.
Eventually, they begin to refuse to bathe, and it resorts to eating.
"This is not good." Annie whispers.
KATNISS'S POV
Late at night, when the cameras are off, I admit I'm freaking out. "I'm scared the kids aren't cooperating." I whisper.
"They're fine. Annie's got it under control." Finn says.
…s….
Day nineteen rolls around, and I am making the raft alone. Johanna has refused to help, Finnick is getting fish and Peeta is asleep. Finnick joins me on shore. "Peeta not helping?" he asks.
"He's asleep," I'm about to scream from frustration.
"Oy! Peeta, wake up man! Come help us!" Finn shouts.
Two minutes later, Peeta joins us on the shore and helps with the raft.
Later that night, when we're in a storm with a flash flood that pulls away our shelter, I get into a screaming fight with Johanna, and Peeta has to hold me back
HAYMITCH'S POV
"Lillian, we need to force the kids to eat. They're dying." I say.
"I know they are," she runs her hands over her face and looks at her three grandchildren. "You know your mother and father would have already put you to bed after your baths, after dinner. You guys haven't bathed and two weeks and your refuse to eat. What will Mama and Daddy do?"
They don't reply.
KATNISS'S POV
Day 21. We go home today. Today is Hallie's seventh birthday. Johanna finally comes around and helps us. we get in the water and start to paddle towards the extraction point and Peeta and Finnick swim behind us, shark attacks very likely. I get to see my babies today and I'm excited. I know Peeta is too, and Finn.
HAYMITCH'S POV
We scared them so bad with words that they started crying and they started doing what we told them. They're still sad, and they don't look happy when Hal's birthday rolls around. They go to school, crying. Mrs. Hawthorne is their teacher now again for first grade.
KATNISS'S POV
We get to an open field and see a chopped waiting for us. We all break into cheers and get in.
They take us back to our hotel and we all take hour long showers where I stand under the all the way hot water and rub my skin raw. I shave four times in the same place and then I pull on a white sundress, cowbow boots and stare at myself in the mirror, overly excited that I'm wearing clothes so I can sit with my legs open. I'm reevaluated downstairs and my score goes from a seven point five to a nine point zero. We all go up a lot, but Johanna's goes up some, but not much.
We're taken on one of those really fast flights back to Vermont, where we land right in Derby.
"The kids are at school, let's go get the cake and get to the school. I called Gale and he talked to his Mom and they're going to get the whole first grade celebrate it, Hal, Bren and Bai are in different classes but Hal has Mrs. Hawthorne. We pick up the cake from the grocery store, and a ton of cookies and ice cream, and put them in the cooler. Peeta and I pull into the school parking lot. Hazelle says that they're going to be reading till we get there. I send Gale a text and he texts me back and says his mom knows we're here.
"Let's go," we get visitors passes and head down to Hallie's classroom.
"You go first." Peeta whispers. He sets the cooler down outside the door. I look in the window and see her back, all the way in the front.
I open the door and step inside, silent. Peeta slides in after me, and I make the door shut without a noise. I put a finger to my lips to all the kids that see me, and they all cover their mouths with that little grin all kids get. Peeta nudges me, telling me to make the first move. I clear my thorat.
"We were just stopping in to wish our baby girl a happy birthday." I say. "We don't mean to interrupt."
Hallie whips around. "Mama! Daddy!" she flies up out of her chair and bullets towards us, flying into my arms.
She is only wearing my tee shirt. She makes me trip, but Peeta steadies me. "Hal?" I ask. She looks up at me and kisses me right on the lips.
"You came home!" she gasps.
"Of course we came home," Peeta says. She kisses him on the lips too. "Hon, what are you wearing?" Peeta smiles.
"I'm wearing Mama's shirt! She said we can wear her shirts when we want to!"
"I meant when we were at home." I smile.
She looks down at her clothes. "Am I in trouble?" she whispers. I smile.
"No, now, I'll be right back," I set her down.
"No Mama, don't go!" She holds my hand, and Peeta's.
"I'm just going to get Bailee, and Daddy is going to get Brennan." I say.
"Okay. I'm going to stay right here and wait for you," she sits down on the floor, flashing Peeta and her crotch, because she doesn't have on any panties.
Oh my god. Peeta makes a choked noise from the back of his throat. "I'm going to go and…I'll be back," he mutters. I stand her up.
"Stand right there baby, I'll be right back." I kiss her forehead and slip from her room.
"G and get both of them while I um…get some clothes for her. I can't believe she has no underwear on.
"Get some for Bailee and Brennan too. I have a feeling…" I sigh and walk down the hall. Bailee next, because she is right by Hal's room. I open the door and walk in. The teacher trails off.
I see her eyes flick to Bailee, who is coloring on her desk. She raises her eyebrows and points at Bai, who is literally me but blond. I nod. "Bailee, you did remember to wish your sister a happy birthday today, right?" I ask. She look over her shoulder at me and shrugs.
"No Mama." She keeps drawing scribbles in crayon all over her desk, but her hand freezes and she locks eyes with me. "Mama!" she squeals, running for me. She too, is in just my tee shirt with no underwear.
"I'm just going to…" I point at the door and the teacher nods. I walk out of the classroom. "Stay right here honey," I set her down right outside of Brennan's room. "Don't move from this spot." I kiss her forehead and pull open Brennan's door. They're playing, and he's sitting on the floor, criss cross, with a truck. I can see clearly that he's naked underneath that shirt. I walk over to his teacher.
"Can I help you?" she asks.
"Yeah, I'm um…I'm Brennan's Mom," I look at my son, who has yet to notice me.
"Oh…" she looks at him. "Well then I suppose you should know that he comes to school in jeans and a tee shirt and changed every day into another shirt…and he doesn't wear any underwear. It's starting to become a problem." She whispers. I sigh.
"I'll handle it. Can I take him?" I ask.
"Of course," she says. I walk over to Brennan and sit down in front of him.
"Hey champ," I ruffle his curls and he looks up at me. His eyes turn to saucers .
"Mama?" he whispers.
"Brennan," I whisper, taking the truck from his hand and standing him up, rising to my feet myself.
"Mama." He repeats. I look down at him and he reaches his arms up to me. I lift him up and tug down the tee shirt. I wave to his teacher and hand the toy truck to a little boy with red curly hair.
"Do you want to play with this?" I ask.
"Okay!" he takes it from my hand. I exit the room, and Bailee is standing right where I left her, staring at the door. Brenna sticks his thumb in my mouth and rests his head on my shoulder. I take Bailee's hand and pull her to Hallie's room. She's staring at the door still, in the exact same spot a left her.
I set down Brennan and release Bailee's hand. "How about your three go over to Hallie's desk and look at her book?" I ask.
They do as I say. I make sure they're not flashing anyone as I walk to Hazelle.
"Has um…has Hallie been wearing…has she been wearing no panties?" I whisper. Hazelle sighs.
"Yes. I told Annie and she made sure all three of them were completely covered. I notice that Hallie comes to school in a dress, she'll ask to use the restroom, and then she changes into one of those tee shirts and when I ask where her clothes are, she shrugs and says she doesn't know."
I look to my three children. "That doesn't sound like them." I whisper. She sighs.
"Listen, Katniss. When you were away, your family came…the kids…they didn't sleep. They didn't bathe and they didn't eat. They were dying. We had to scare them to get them to eat. They still won't go to sleep. Annie said that Brennan fell asleep one time and he woke up asking for Mama and Daddy. When Annie explained that you guys weren't here…they refused to operate."
I look to my children again, a disgusting feeling setting in the pit of my stomach. "I'm gonna go talk to them." I whisper. She nods and I walk over to the kids.
"So…" I begin, whispering. "Are you guys hungry?"
"No." Hallie says. 'We head breakfast this morning, Mama. Auntie Annie made us toast from France."
French toast.
"Oh…are you tired?" I ask.
"Yes." Bailee yawns. "I'm really tired Mama."
"Me too," Hallie mumbles.
Brennan just leans against me.
"Do you feel dirty? Do you want to take a bath?" I ask.
"Yes. I want my princess bed."
Peeta walks back into the room just then.
"Daddy!" They run to him. Peeta raises his eyebrows at me, asking if they're all without underwear. I nod. He beckons me towards him and hands me a bag. I pull both girls into the bathroom in the classroom and lock the door.
"Now," I begin. "Are you going to tell me why you guys don't have on appropriate clothing? You know your not allowed of the house without good clothes." I say. I pull off both their shirts.
They even smell bad.
"We missed you Mama. If we wear not clothes, you always tell us to put clothes on. We wear no clothes because then you'll come home and tell us to put clothes on." Hallie explains. I sigh and help both of them into panties and then the dresses Peeta got for them.
"Well…start wearing clothes you two, understand?" I say sternly.
"Yes Mama," They say together. I brush their hair and set them loose. I exit the bathroom and see Brennan dressed in jeans and a tee shirt.
"Okay class…we're having a party for the rest of the day." Mrs. Hawthorne says.
She plays kids music and gets out some toys, Peeta brings in the cooler and we stand with Mrs. Hawthorne as she retells everything she just told me to Peeta. The kids play with their classmates and Mrs. Hawthorne, Peeta and I chat for a while. When it gets to a half hour before school lets out, we set up the snacks and make sure the kids don't eat something they're allergic to. We help all of them clean their face and hands. The bell chimes, and the kids bustle out, grabbing their backpacks. We help Hazelle clean up the room.
"Okay, let's go you three." Peeta says.
…..s…
"I want to go to home!" Hallie starts throwing a tantrum, kicking the back of Peeta's chair.
"Enough!" Peeta orders. We're going to Finn and Annie's to pick up their things and see the family.
We have the practically drag them into the house. "And there's the two nude foresters!" Annie hugs both of us. Hallie, Brennan and Bailee go and sit down on the couch, pouting.
"I already know everything that happened when we were gone. Don't both lying about it." I say.
"I want to go home." Hallie snaps.
"Stop," I tell her. Bailee and Brennan sit silently, sucking their thumbs.
But Hallie looks me right in the eyes and says, "No."
"What did you just say?" I ask.
"I said no. I'm not going to stop. Take me home." She snaps.
Peeta's eyes fill with shock and anger.
"You want to go home? Alright, let's go, I'll take you home." I take the keys from Peeta. "Can someone bring them home?" I ask.
"uh…" Annie coughs, shocked.
"I will." Dustin says.
"Thank you," I say.
"Actually Mama, I'm okay. I'll leave later." Hallie says.
"Oh, no, you want to go home. Let's go, let go home." I take her hand.
"No Mama, I'm okay." I pull her off the couch. She sits down on the floor. I pick her up. "Mama! I'm okay!" She starts the thrash around.
"I'll see you guys later." I say.
"Be a bit lenient Katniss, you know how she's been for almost a month, and it's her birthday." Mama says quietly. Of course she's going to take care of the grandkids.
"Mama, can I come please? I wanna go nighttime." Brennan says. He's not being rude about it.
"Alright, come on." I say. I'm not going to actually punish Hallie. She hasn't slept in almost a month for goodness sakes. I'm going to make her take a nap. Hazelle did say they took at least a half hour nap, but that's hardly anything. Hallie is screaming now, and sobbing, hysterically.
"I'm sorry! Please Mama, don't hurt me like he did!" she keeps screaming.
He?
Who the hell is he?
"She means Andrew." Audrey whispers.
She thinks I'm going to beat her and starve her and hurt her? I stand her up in front of me. "Hallie," I whisper.
"Please Mama, I'm sorry." I put my hands on her cheeks and she flinches.
"Hallie honey, I'm not going to hurt you. I won't ever hurt you. I won't hurt Brennan or Bailee or anybody. I'm not going to hurt anybody." I whisper.
"Please Mama, I'm really sorry." She sobs. Peeta looks even more shocked than before.
Hallie, my own daughter is afraid of me? "Hallie Dakota, I am not going to hurt you. You trust me, right?" I ask. She rubs her eyes and nods.
"I trust you Mama." She hugs me, and I hug her back.
"Good," I stand up and pick her up again. "Now, do you really want to stay here, or do you really want to go home?"
"I wanna sleep, Mama. I want my Belle bed."
"Okay then, let's go home."
"I come too? Please Mama, I wanna tinker bell." Bailee whispers. She's half awake, clutching her blanket in one hand and clutching her bear to her chest with her other arm, and sucking her thumb.
"Of course," I look to Peeta.
"I'll come home later," he says.
"Okay," I say. I lead the three down to the car and head for home.
Oh yeah, the AC is still out.
"Let's sleep together Mama!" Brennan says excitedly. I fight laughing, because after seeing Peeta naked for almost a month and not being allowed to do something about it was torture, so my mind may not be in the right place.
"I thought you wanted your own bed?" I ask.
"Come with us!" Hallie begs.
"Please?" Bailee whispers.
"Alright, let's go."
...9...
I wake up, soaked in sweat, Hallie is soaked in her own, and so is Bailee and Brennan.
We need to get the AC fixed.
"It's too hot Mama." Brennan sits up.
"I know, I'll be right back." I whisper. I rise and open up the door in Peeta and I's room that lead out to the balcony then then I go downstairs and open windows. I grab my phone off the coffee table and dial Peeta.
"Hey baby," I can hear the smile in his voice, and it makes me smile.
"Hey...what can I do about the air?" I ask.
"The air?" He repeats. "Oh! Oh my god, I completely forgot about that. I'll come home and get it taken care of."
"Peeta, wait. You don't have to, I can't do it, I just-"
"No. No it's okay, I'll do it, you go back to bed." He says.
"How do you know I was in bed?" I demand.
"Well first, I know the kids talked you into it, and next, I can hear it in your voice. Now go back to bed baby, I'll get it taken care of." He says.
I sigh, "Okay, I love you."
"I love you too." He says.
"Bye." I mumble.
"Bye," he hangs up.
I go back upstairs and force myself to sleep.
...0...
When I wake, the door to the balcony is closed. The kids are dead asleep and I'm actually cold. I get out if bed, careful not to rouse them as I get a throw blanket from the closet and shedding my clothes down to my underwear, a button up plaid shirt and a black push-up. I wrap myself in the throw blanket and go downstairs. The family is here, which doesn't surprise me.
Peeta is laying on the couch, shirtless, asleep. I lay down on top of him. He doesn't even open his eyes, he just slides his hand under the blanket and on my bare back.
"Hi," he whispers.
"Hi baby." Johanna says before I do. Peeta's eyes fly open and he dumps me on the floor. We all burst out laughing as I stand up.
"Wait...what the hell Johanna!" Peeta exclaims. He grabs my waist and pulls me back on top of him. "That was rude."
"That was hilarious." I'm laughing.
After a little while of laughing, we stop.
Okay guys, I have another story I'm going to start working on. It's like Harry Potter with THG characters, but it's going to be my own version.