"Are we there yet?" Peeta complained, tugging on Katniss' hand.
"Almost, honestly Peeta." Katniss nudged him, sending a scowl his way. The war had ended well over a year ago but things were just starting to return to normal between the once-proclaimed star-crossed lovers from District 12. They were friends once more, Haymitch had seen to that. Peeta still had his bad moments but they were occurring less often. Katniss supposed she probably shouldn't trust Peeta enough not to turn on her when they were alone in the middle of the forest outside of Twelve but the two walked hand in hand unchaperoned anyway.
Katniss wanted to take Peeta to the lake house her father showed her when she was young. She'd brought Gale to the ruins before, it didn't seem right that Peeta had never been. She looked at the boy at her side. How had she ever doubted her feelings for him? Things would've been much simpler if she'd allowed herself to love him after their first games. Now everything was tainted by Peeta's hijacking and her mishandling of his feelings. Katniss often found herself helplessly wondering if he would ever love her the way he once had. At the same time, she was just glad that they'd become friends again.
"This is it," Katniss dropped his hand when they reached the ruins and the lake. "My father used to bring me here to swim." She sank into the tall grass.
"That's how you knew how to swim in the arena," He stated.
"Ah huh," She picked up a handful of grass.
"It's pretty out here," Peeta sat down next to her.
"It is." Katniss looked at him. Now he was the one who didn't know the effect he had on her. Opening the basket they'd brought the two began eating their cheese and pears in comfortable silence after Peeta laid his head in Katniss' lap.
"Will you sing?" He asked, staring up at her with his wide blue eyes. Sadness washed over her as she was reminded of holding Rue and singing for her as she died. Katniss pushed her emotions down and buried her fingers in his curly hair. She cleared her throat when she decided on a song.
"When I was a babe I fell down in the holler.
When I was a girl I fell into your arms.
We fell on hard times and we lost our bright color.
You went to the dogs and I lived by my charms.
I danced for my dinner, spread kisses like honey.
You stole and you gambled and I said you should.
We sang for our suppers, we drank up our money.
Then one day you left, saying I was no good."
It was an old song. One that her father taught her, as those were often her favorite.
"Well, all right, I'm bad, but then, you're no prize either.
All right, I'm bad, but then, that's nothing new.
You say you won't love me, I won't love you neither.
Just let me remind you who I am to you.
'Cause I am the one who looks out when you're leaping.
I am the one who knows how you were brave.
And I am the one who heard what you said sleeping.
I'll take that and more when I go to my grave."
Out of the corner of her eye, Katniss saw movement in the treeline, she tilted her head to try to make out what it was as she continued to sing.
"It's sooner than later that I'm six feet under.
It's sooner than later that you'll be alone.
So who will you turn to tomorrow, I wonder?
For when the bell rings, lover, you're on your own."
The figure stepped out into the clearing. It was a woman in a gray dress. Katniss was surprised to see anyone this far outside of Twelve. People were free to wander out of the fence now that the new government was in place but they had a tendency to stay near the borders that had been set up. The woman stood still, Katniss wondered if she was watching them, or maybe listening to the song.
"And I am the one who you let see you weeping.
I know the soul that you struggle to save.
Too bad I'm the bet that you lost in the reaping.
Now what will you do when I go to my grave?"
Katniss thought the woman was smiling, but she was too far away to be certain. The lady raised her hand up and gently waved. Katniss waved back.
"What are you waving at?" Peeta suddenly asked.
"At that lady," Katniss looked away to meet Peeta's concerned gaze.
"Katniss there's nobody there."
"Right there," Katniss pointed in the direction the lady had been standing but she was gone. "I swear I saw someone." Peeta sat up and put a hand on her shoulder.
"Could you recognize them?"
"I don't know. She was too far away. Maybe she looked familiar?" Maybe the woman wasn't there after all. Katniss tried to push the thought away.
He pulled out his sketchbook. "Can I draw you?"
"Mmhmm," She said, her mind still on the woman. She didn't feel like a threat to Katniss, but she couldn't place where she'd seen her before. Maybe she just looked like somebody. She leaned back and closed her eyes, enjoying the sun on her skin.
So I actually wrote this fic last summer and kept thinking about posting it, but after that trailer, it feels like the right time to post. Wow, that trailer was so good! It's so surreal to watch a new Hunger Games trailer because I really thought that after Mockingjay Part 2 I would never feel this way again.