Just to let y'all know, Ivy and Caroline are coming with them back to their house. So though I don't mention it right away, they're there. I apologize if the beginning is kind of odd. I was in a weird mood while writing it.

And thanks to Animal-Queen-Stephanie for being an awesome reviewer! ;)

Oh, and I'm sure all of you will enjoy this chapter greatly because we're finally getting back into Peeta/Katniss. ;)

oOo

We got back to two sweaty men laying out on our front yard. Finnick and Peeta looked dead in the burning sun, flopped out onto the grass without their shirts. My mouth opened in confusion. What were they…? Hesitantly, I walked up to Peeta (he was face-up, Finnick face-down) and stared down at him. His eyes were closed.

"What the heck are you two doing?" I put my hands on my hips and stared down at him. "I thought you were cleaning up a Victor's house. Now, you're…you're passed out on my front lawn without your shirts."

He didn't stir, and neither did Finnick. Ivy and Prim giggled.

"Peeta!" I said a little louder, prodding him with my toe.

Blue eyes cracked open slightly. "What?"

"What do you mean 'what'?" I shook my head at him, and then began walking away, motioning for the other three to follow. "Boys."

We stepped over then and went into the house. Caroline was making an odd sort of face, and so was Annie. She gave me a look and I shrugged.

I led the way inside, which was a cool relief from the heat of the sun. Sighing, I waved Caroline and Ivy to sit on the couch, but Prim and Annie did it involuntarily. In the kitchen, I filled four tall glasses full of ice water, and a fifth smaller one of orange juice.

Once they were dealt out back in the living room (I'll never get used to the was Ivy drank juice), I sat down and shook my head. "I do wonder what our men were doing out on the front yard." I rolled my eyes over to Annie. "It's boiling out there. I don't know about you, but I refuse to rub lotion into their backs if they come back inside with awful sunburns."

Everyone laughed.

"Same here." Annie grinned, but her attention was suddenly stolen by Jace, who began to fuss. It was his diaper. Sighing slightly, she went off to the bathroom to change it. And, ironically, the moment she stepped out, the boys came back in.

Shirts still gone and skin an angry red color, Finnick and Peeta trumped in, went straight to the kitchen and drank an entire gallon of milk just by themselves. When they came back into the living room and took up the remaining seats, I sighed and shook my head.

"I don't even want to know what you two were doing." I said, taking another drink of my water and then pointing to Caroline and Ivy. "This is Caroline, and her daughter Ivy. Ivy's the other bridesmaid aside from Annie and Prim." I turned my eyes towards the Caroline and Ivy. "This is Finnick, Annie's husband."

"Nice to meet you." Slowly, Caroline nodded, eyes sparkling with recognition. "The…Quarter Quell, right? Finnick."

Finnick nodded.

"Right…" Her cheeks turned a bit pink and she looked away.

It was my turn to twist and give Peeta a look. "What were you doing out there?"

He grinned, and I couldn't help but feel a bit awkward at his half-nakedness. "Well, at first we were cleaning up the house on the other side of mine,"

I nodded.

"Except the air conditioning wasn't working. And so as soon as we were done wiping the dust down from everything, we kind of just…"

"Passed out on your law, waiting for you to come home." Finnick smirked.

"Well, we're home." I rolled my eyes, and my head automatically turned behind us, where the noise of the bathroom door opening up again distracted me.

Annie, carrying a freshly changed Jace, walked back to us and sat down next to Finnick. He grinned and gave her a small kiss on the head, and did the same with his son.

"So how was the tailors?" he asked, looking at all of us girls.

A pause.

"He's kind of creepy." Primrose nodded in a matter-of-fact way, earning a roomful of laughs. She was laughing, too. "Well, it's true. Being naked in front of him was more uncomfortable than listening to awful innuendos about Katniss and Peeta."

Even more laughter, especially from Finnick and Peeta. Men. I knew that if I chanced a glance at either of them, they'd wink, so I did my best not to look at anyone.

Caroline looked highly uncomfortable, but Ivy just sang to herself while making puppets with her hands.

Finnick shook his head at me. "You're so easy to bother and make fun of."

"I know." I shot back, scowling.

"Now, there's the Katniss we know." Peeta shook his head as well, but then reassured me he was joking with a light touch to the shoulder. "Denying the fact that she is incredibly easy to make fun of."

"And tell innuendos about."

The room filled with laughter again, and this time Caroline joined in hesitantly.

"What's all this laughing?" Mother came in from the hallway with a pen tucked behind her ear, hands on hips. When she saw all of us sitting around on the couches, laughing, her mouth curved into an involuntary smile. And, to my greatest amusement, when she saw Peeta's and Finnick's shirtlessness, she went into stern-mother-mode. "What are you two doing without your shirts? There are ladies present." She literally shooed them off the couch. "Go! Get some clothes on for goodness' sakes."

Prim, Annie and I snorted, while Caroline looked a tiny bit relieved.

"I'm sorry about that, Caroline." Mother apologized, shaking her head and sitting down delicately. "They behave like animals sometimes."

"Peeta doesn't. Most of the time." Prim quipped with a smile growing on her lovely face. "I don't know about Finnick."

Annie gave Prim an exhausted "you'd-better-believe-it" look.

"It's alright." Caroline shook her head as well.

"So," Mother went on to another topic while the boys went to get clothes on. "How was the tailor? Did you get some nice dresses?"

Prim and Ivy launched into a detailed explanation of the dress, while Annie and I put in a few words edgewise when he could. When they were done telling all about the trip, Mother smiled.

"That sounds very lovely." She said. "I'm glad you got something you all agreed on. When will they be done?"

"Friday or Saturday." I remembered. "But we can't really go much further without actually deciding on a date."

The looks on all of our faces were of concentration, but while we were all thinking, Finnick and Peeta came in. This time they were wearing shirts.

"What's going on?" Finnick asked, sitting back down by his wife, putting an arm around her.

Peeta sat next to me again.

"A date for the wedding." I looked sideways at Peeta unthinkingly, because after all, he was the person I was getting married to. I smiled without meaning to, and he smiled back.

"Excellent." A pause. "Tomorrow?"

"Psshh, don't be stupid." I said, not unkindly. "We still need to…do a lot."

He rubbed his hands together. "Then let's get cracking."

"No." I scowled at him. "We just got back from four hours in town. I don't know about them," I nodded my head towards Annie, Caroline, Ivy, and Prim, "but I'm exhausted."

"And I was aware we'd go on a picnic for lunch." Mother said with a blasé face on. "Which I still need to pack for." A wrinkle appeared between her eyebrows and she immediately got up and hurried into the kitchen.

Well, there goes Mother. Who's next? I glanced over at everyone else. Ivy was holding one of her fingers with a disturbed look on.

"Momma, I'm bleeding." She held the finger up to Caroline, who kissed it.

"Well, hon, don't squeeze it and it won't bleed."

I held back a laugh. Children seemed to be the ultimate form of entertainment. That thought just made me want one more, but it had transformed from a subject to be depressed over to something that I might have the probability to look forward to. Maybe. I glanced sideways over at Peeta, who obviously wasn't thinking what I was thinking.

He gave me a smile. "Well, if not tomorrow, then when do you suggest?"

I thought. "…The eleventh?"

That seemed good to him, but Caroline spoke up before he could respond.

"I work that day." She grimaced apologetically. "I'm sorry. A lot of people do, though. They wouldn't be able to come."

"Oh." I blinked, and then thought some more. "…The day after? Sunday is good because it's everybody's day off."

Six heads nodded. Ivy was still engrossed in her finger wound.

"The twelfth?" I asked again, casting my gaze from Peeta to Primrose to Annie and Finnick to Caroline. Every one of them nodded.

"What's that?" Mother's voice floated from the partially-closed kitchen door. She poked her head out. "Did you decide on something without me?"

I tried not to scoff. She hated being out off the loop, not being in decisions. I cleared my throat. "How's the twelfth, Mother? Do you work then?"

Her face actually perked up. "No, I'm not. That's an excellent date! But we have to work extra-hard until then, there's a lot of work to be done in such a short amount of time." She nodded affirmatively, but then disappeared back into the kitchen not two seconds later.

The 12th then. It's decided. A jittery feeling coursed through my veins, and while practically bouncing up and down, I felt Peeta's hand slip discreetly around mine. My head automatically snapped down, staring in bewilderment where our two hands were intertwined. I glanced back up at Peeta. He looked as excited as I felt, with a smile to match. I felt myself smile back. For once, things were going okay. I squeezed back.

Half an hour later, our picnic was packed and things were prepared. A rolled-up blanket and a basket of food were tucked under the eldest people's arms. Caroline made Ivy go to the bathroom twice so she wouldn't have to interrupt the outing, and under Mother's orders, us younger ones wore jackets (even though it's boiling out). With the children tucked firmly into our arms, we set out.

Peeta stuck close by me, taking the squeeze of his hand an encouragement. But even though, he didn't try and hold my hand. I frowned. I knew he wanted to, that much was obvious, but it was a matter of whether or not I wanted to. Of course I do. But I felt odd, not knowing what made me feel that way. Shaking the feeling off, I snuck a bit closer to Peeta and crept my hand into his.

He didn't look at me, but I felt his thumb absentmindedly rub against the back of my hand and I saw his smile out of the corner of my eye. Dang, I missed this. Why was I so stupid to keep away from this? It accomplished nothing, and even less in the sense of being sane. I was anything but sane without him. We just have to take it slower than we had. Making out fifteen times a day in bed was not acceptable. And neither was sleeping with him in just my underwear. Nor was attacking him from behind when he was cooking breakfast.

I made a guttural noise of mortification by accident, cheeks burning at just the thought of those countless memories.

Peeta glanced over at me and frowned. "You okay, Katniss?"

I nodded, feeling my face turn even redder. Stop that.

We walked for about fifteen minutes until the edge of the Meadow was in sight. Long grass rocked in the sultry breeze, occasionally glinting white as individual strands caught the sun. Some of my recollections from before the Games about this place were not the best. Frail people laying face-down in the grass by the fence, never to get up again. Families huddled in despair, sobbing loudly over one of those laying face-down. But today, there were none. Just spring-green wisps of grass, swaying unperturbed in the summer air.

I breathed in. It was unbelievably delicious.

Our group trekked out into the middle of it and Mother unfolded the giant quilt out on the ground.

"It's a beautiful day," she said. "Nice and warm."

I heard Finnick snort.

A minute later, all the food was spread out on the blanket and we were sitting down. Ivy immediately crawled out of her mother's arms and came to sit in my lap, right in the nook of my crossed legs. She giggled and reached out for a saran-wrapped cookie.

"Have your sandwich first, Ivy." I said in the roll of her mother, shaking my head.

She pouted, but accepted her food and began chomping on the tomato-lettuce-ham sandwich.

We ate, only talking every now and then. It was when our "main courses" were gone, that Mother began talking.

"Do you remember that garden idea I was telling you three about?" She asked me, and then glanced at Peeta and Prim, expected them to remember to. We all nodded. "Well, I've decided to actually put that plan into action tomorrow after work."

I blinked. "But your work has been…weighing you down, hasn't it? You won't have the time."

Mother shook her head. "I have help. And besides, my boss has been a lot lenient these days ever since his first granddaughter was born last week. I'm hoping to get now until the twelfth off to help with the wedding stuff."

Well, I suppose anything's possible. I just smiled at her and shrugged, taking a bite of my cookie. "I'll help you with the garden, Mother, if it'll make you feel any better."

"And me, too." Annie offered with a small smile. "Finnick can watch Jace."

Finnick rolled his eyes. "There's no way I'm being such a lady as gardening. We manly boys will do something worthwhile. Like knocking down mailboxes."

Peeta snorted, but he hastily turned it into a cough. "I was actually going to offer my help as well."

"And me." Primrose was expected to be as helpful and brown-nosed as possible. But the delightful grin on her face just made me grin as well. I loved my little sister so bad.

"Me, me, me!" Ivy lumped up and down in my lap, offering her labor to something she probably didn't even know what. Before just two seconds ago she was too focused on her cookie to listen.

Caroline gave a small laugh, eyeing her daughter exhaustedly. "I offer my help as well, if it's alright. I get off at three-thirty on Wednesdays."

"Excellent!" Mother's smile widened. "As do I."

The food was slowly being consumed, until nothing was left. Ivy stood up and went to go chase after yellow butterflies with the promise to Caroline she'd stay close. Mother and Primrose struck up a conversation about doctoring and apothecary-ism, while Annie and Finnick scooted a few feet away to lay on their backs, Jace tucked gently between them.

I just watched my family with a small smile, knowing just how much I'd miss them if any one of them died or… Unpleasant thoughts. I shook my head, ridding the pictures in my head, just as Peeta stood up.

My eyes followed him curiously.

"I'm going off to over there," Peeta pointed a finger just about ten or fifteen feet away, and then looked back at me. "Want to come?" He offered me his hand.

I didn't even think to take it. I just did.

We walked to the spot he pointed out, and I sat down next to him, slightly awkward. It was excruciatingly hot out, and I was going to burn to a crisp if I didn't unzip my jacket, which is exactly what I did. Wishing I'd picked something different than a white T-shirt, I just tossed my jacket behind me. Peeta did the same, but instead of tossing his, he gently set it behind us and laid down, head protected from the evil idea of grass getting in his hair. But there was room on the other side of the jacket for my own head, and Peeta's eyes asked me to lay down with him.

I did. Our heads were only two inches apart, and I could feel his shaggy blond hair tickling my ear.

"I see you feel better to hold my hand again." Peeta said quietly, voice only soft and curious, not betraying anything else. "Is 'better' the right word?"

I made a pondering face, and then turned my head to look at him—ironically he turned his head at the same time, too. For a second I was surprised by how close our faces were. I could feel his breath on my lips, and I had to work my throat several times before I was able to talk. "If the definition of 'better' means I feel like a total jerk, and I—mmf!"

Peeta pinched my lips closed. "Try a different definition." He let go.

I sighed, but did as I was told. "Okay, 'better' as in… I'm really, really sorry, and—mmf!"

He pinched my lips a second time, getting the same startled reaction. His eyebrows raised as he let go.

I couldn't help but pout, and was silent. For a few seconds, the only sound I made was a sharp inhale. I bit my lip, thinking. If he won't let me apologize or call myself names… Dang it, he had this face on, looking expectant and amused, but still curiously poignant. Sniffing, I carefully reached over and wrapped my arms around his waist and closed my eyes against his collarbone. I sighed. "…I love you." It was more like a defeated mumble than something else.

Peeta laughed a little through his nose and put his own arms around me. "I love you, too, Katniss…" He sighed as well, pressing his cheek to the top of my head. "You confuse me so much. I don't know if I should go on like I did before or…something else. I don't know when it's okay to touch you."

I inhaled his scent and felt my eyebrows furrow sadly, but then I smiled. "You can touch me whenever you want."

He let out an audible sigh of relief and squeezed me tighter to him briefly.

"But I think maybe we should…take it slower." I admitted my thoughts to him, still not unburying my face from his chest. "Like maybe acting slightly civilized than before. If you…if you know what I mean."

Peeta paused, staring off into the distance in momentary thought. Then I could feel a smile spread across his face. "Yeah, I know what you mean."

We sat like that for a few more seconds before a high-pitched giggle sounded behind us. I hastily scrambled away, just to see Ivy standing there in the grass, one hand over her mouth, sniggering her little four-year-old snigger.

"Ivy," I said, kind of surprised to see her there. My cheeks burned a bit, but I didn't react. "Is there something you need?"

It was then I noticed one of her hands was curled into a fist, and she came over, kneeling beside me. "Lookit, Caniss, I caught a butterfly!"

I took her chubby hand lightly in mine and she uncurled her fist. A powder-free, yellow, crumpled butterfly lay motionless on her palm.

"Oh, it's very sweet." I assured her, smiling. "But you know, it won't be able to fly after this. You hurt it." I held up her hand and pointed to the smears of wing powder on her fingers. "Butterflies can't fly without that special powder on their wings, and you took it off."

Ivy's lower lip pouted and she stared sadly at the crumpled insect in her hand. "Can you fix it?"

I sighed. "Maybe." Though I seriously doubted. Gently, I shook the butterfly onto my own palm and blew on it until its wings fluttered. It probably won't get very far before crashing, but I lifted the insect into the air and blew on it until its wings fluttered, and it took off.

Ivy grinned and clapped her hands. "It's not dead! Thank you Caniss." She patted the side of my head with a powdery hand and skipped off back in the direction of the picnic blanket and her mother.

I leaned back on my hands, watching her hop off, red curls bouncing every which way. What I'd give to be that careless and free again. To not realize the war going on around me, to not have problems like an angsty, 18-year-old "heroine". My life was not ideal, true, but it wasn't awful anymore. The only problems I have now are the ones in my own head.

I felt fingers slip over mine and tuck around my hand. Peeta was leaning back as I was, gazing after Ivy as I was as well. His blond hair was creating a shadow over his eyes, cast by the bright midday sun. As I watched him, I saw his chest move slightly with every slow breath he took, and the highlights in his eyes shift every time he blinked. His cheekbones were slightly higher than mine; average town people's face structure. Gently curved but strong jaw casting a shadow over his neck, moving every time he moved. As I watched, I realized how pretty he was. Not just in looks, but the way he moved, the way he studied the far horizon in complete thought, all the while letting me stare at him.

"It's a beautiful day out." He said at last, glancing over at me. The shadows on his face danced.

I nodded slightly. "It is." And he was right. Not a single cloud in the sky to give some shade from the unforgiving sun. Giving a small sigh of contentment, I laid back down on Peeta's jacket, lacing my hands on my stomach.

Peeta laid down as well, face turned towards me. I thought he was going to say something, but it was a minute until he did. It was a whisper. "You said I can touch you whenever I want."

I blinked, slightly wary. "Of course."

Tentatively, Peeta turned on his side towards me and slowly raised his hand. It brushed gently across the hollow of my cheek and down my jaw. I just stared at him as he stared back. It was impossible to unstuck my eyes from this boy as his fingers brushed down my throat, curling around the entirety of my neck, which was sure to give my rapid heartbeat away. Peeta leaned closer and I started to feel my palms sweat.

But that was as close as it got. Peeta bit his lip and turned away, slowly lowering himself back onto his jacket.

What? I felt like screaming. That's it? How disappointing. I resisted the urge to sigh as I laid back down as well.

The sun's warmth poured down on me like crashing waves, shutting down all the tired muscles in my body. It was so relaxing out here, listening to the grass swish in the wind, birds calling and the far-away murmur of town. My hands were still laced on my stomach, but I didn't evade Peeta's touch when he reached over a second time and folded his fingers with mine. It was nice having him with me again. I could still feel his breathing and feel his pulse with my own fingers.

"Hey, Katniss—" Prim's voice broke through my lulling reverie, and I scrambled into a sitting position, surprised by my sister's sudden appearance.

She looked guilty for interrupting us, face bright pink, and she began backing away. "S-Sorry, I'll—"

"No, no, Prim. It's okay." I stopped her leaving with a frantic wave of my hands. "It's alright. What is it?"

She shifted on her feet. "What do you think about on Friday going to get your wedding dress? The others have already agreed to it."

I nodded, frowning in thought. "…Yeah, that seems okay." I cast a glance sideways at Peeta, who was sitting up as well.

He grinned, acting as casual as ever. "I take it I don't get to see."

"No," I resisted the urge to stick my tongue out at him, a smile playing on my lips. "It's bad luck for the groom to see his bride in the dress before a wedding."

Peeta rolled his eyes. "I didn't know you were superstitious."

"I'm not. It's just common knowledge the man shouldn't see the woman in her dress before the big day. It's that simple."

Prim learned her throat, interrupted our little faux argument. "So, Friday is okay, then? Right after lunch?"

I nodded. "Yeah, that sounds good. We might be able to pick up the bridesmaids dresses on the way."

She smiled, content at our agreement. "Okay! I'll go tell the others." With another smile and a small wave, she went back over to where everyone else is.

Peeta and I remained silent for a second after Prim left, and it was only until I leaned back and spoke the silence was broken.

"It's really happening…" I noted with an almost sad hint in my voice. "Things are going by so fast."

"And before you know it, we'll be married." Peeta stretched out on his hands behind him. One arm was behind my back, as close to "around my waist" as it gets without him actually touching me. "And we'll live carefree in my house with fifteen screaming kids running around breaking things." His mouth twitched into a smile.

"I just want one," I corrected him, eyes off in the distant in thought. "Or maybe two."

Peeta closed his eyes and put his face close to mine, so close his nose just barely brushed my cheek. "You'll get one, I promise. Whatever it takes."

I felt a cozy, warm feeling spread in my chest at his words. It made me sigh quietly in content and I surprised myself greatly by reaching up and kissing him on the cheek. "I know. It takes the two of us, though."

Immediately after the words came out of my mouth, I furrowed my brows in embarrassment and looked away, blushing. But Peeta only said three words.

We spent the rest of the afternoon in the meadow, talking and napping and sharing brief excitement over the upcoming wedding. Peeta and I stayed on our little patch of flattened grass, hands intertwined, barely talking at all. When the sun dipped low enough to deem it "late", we all packed up out stuff and headed home. Caroline and Ivy stayed for dinner, and by the time it was 9:30, we were all sitting around the couches, laughing, unaware of the time that should have sent us to bed. But when 10:00 hit and Ivy fell asleep in my lap, Caroline had to bid us farewell for the night. She left with her sleeping four-year-old limp in her arms.

"It is pretty late." Finnick yawned a huge yawn, rubbing his eyes. "Maybe we should hit the sack, too." He wrapped his arm automatically around Annie's waist.

"Is the house ready?" she asked, tightening her arms around sleeping Jace.

Finnick nodded. "All of it. Everything's unpacked and in the dressers, kitchen fully stocked, bathroom supplies in the bathroom. Everything's ready to go."

"Well," Annie stood up, as did her husband. She turned to all of us left. "I suppose we'll see you all tomorrow."

I stood up (so did Mother, Prim and Peeta) and hugged Annie tightly, gave Jace a kiss on the forehead, and just shook m head at Finnick.

"What, I don't get a kiss, too?" he said jokingly, then ruffled my hair. I just rolled my eyes.

After another second of 'goonight's, Annie and Finnick left with Jace to go to their temporary house, leaving me, Peeta, Mother, and Prim staring after. Peeta, who's been sticking considerably closer to me since the meadow, shoved his hands in his pockets and glanced at the clock.

"I should go home, too." He said, looking back at us girls.

My heart sank involuntarily. I didn't want him to go…

"Aw," Mother seemed to feel as I did, but she didn't keep him. "Well, goodnight, Peeta." She gave him a hug, and crinkled up her eyes. "It's getting closer and closer…" There were obvious tears sparkling in her eyes and she walked off, shaking her head. "They grow up so fast…"

Did she actually just say that? I frowned after her.

"Well…" Prim broke the silence, looking exhausted as well. She shook her head and smiled. "Have a good night, Peeta!" She gave him a brief hug then promptly disappeared.

That made the two of them I as left staring after, frowning. Did I smell bad or something?

"I'll see you tomorrow, Katniss." Peeta's voice made me turn my head to him. He was looking down at me with a sweet smile on, and he shocked me by giving me a fond kiss on the cheek, despite everything.

Peeta never failed to make me blush and feel guilty that he didn't have someone better.

When I didn't answer, he just touched his thumb to my cheek briefly. "Sweet dreams." And with yet another charming smile, he turned around and strode out the door.

I was all alone, leaving me free to trump upstairs. Once in the safety of my own room, I stripped off my T-shirt and khaki trousers, stepping into the warm spray of the shower. I scrubbed myself raw with pine-scented soap, and then toweled off. I looked in the mirror.

Katniss Everdeen stared back. She looked tired and a bit defeated, but nonetheless more like herself than she had in a while. That mere fact made me slightly more content as I slipped into a nighty. It was one that I've only wore the once, with Prim. It was a soft shade of baby pink. Normally, I'd rather sleep naked than in something pink, but it really wasn't so bad. And besides, it smelled like Prim (no idea why). My hair was combed out and left down, and I walked back into my room just like that; barefoot, squeaky clean, in a pink nighty with my damp hair hanging in sheets around my face.

Sighing, I went over to the window and threw it open. Warm, foresty-smelling air blasted me in the face, making my lungs inhaled so deep to catch it all. Though the scent automatically made me a lot happier and more tired, it also brought a pang of recognition that I had to swallow down. Gale was in a better place now. Free from heartbreak or starvation. In an endless hunt of who-knows-what. All that I know is that I shouldn't be sad.

A lump formed in my throat, even though.

Great, now the mood was deflated, and I forced myself to shut the window and get into bed. The cold covers felt good against the sunburn I could just feel forming, and I thought at last I would be able to relax. Of course not.

The doorknob rattled and my bedroom door opened quietly, footsteps announcing an unexpected visitor. Rubbing my eyes, I sat up, squinting at the silhouette in the doorway. It was unmistakable.

"Sorry if I woke you," Peeta's soft voice broke the silence as he took another step in. "I just remembered the picture we took early and wondered if you wanted it."

It was hard to tell if he was being honest or that was just a really lame excuse to come up here.

Grumbling slightly (though secretly thrilled he was there), I stood up and shuffled over to the wardrobe. On the very top lay a few unused, dusty picture framed that had been up here for ages. Taking one down, I wiped all the grit off it and held out my hand for the picture from Peeta. He handed it over, and I snapped it into place.

It really was a nice picture, asides the fact I looked about ready to kill someone. Jace had his hand in his mouth and was staring intently at the camera, hair fuzzy and wild.

I resisted snorting at it when I set it down gently on my nightstand next to one of Jace when he was only a week old, hair just a ball of fuzz on top of his head, eyes squinting and black. "There. Added to my collection of beautiful pictures."

Peeta laughed quietly, staring down at the two. "…Funny, how the only pictures on your nightstand are of you and a baby, and the baby alone. But the kid isn't even yours." He shook his head, still smiling. "It's just funny."

It kind of was. I cocked my head to stare blankly at the pictures in thought, even though there was barely any light in my room. My eyes had adjusted, though, but never to the silhouette of Peeta still standing there next to me. Part of me didn't want him to leave. I didn't know what the other part wanted; I didn't listen to it often. It was only when I felt Peeta's eyes on me I turned to look at him.

He was gazing with an amused look at my nighty, and when he caught me looking at him looking, he grinned. "I love your choice of nightwear, Katniss."

"Shut up," I snapped, crossing my arms over my chest. It was horrible because he made me made me aware of just how not-suitable the nighty was, and the fact that I wasn't wearing anything under it, and the straps were extremely thin, and the nighty itself was about half-a-foot above my knees.

I shuffled an inch away from him, arms still crossed, eyebrows furrowed and wary. "Did you come up here just to give me the picture?"

Peeta gave me a look, as if debating something in his head, eyes narrowed in thought. "…I suppose. You have the picture, now." His mouth curved into a smile, and his words were as casual as they come. "I'll leave you to sleeping. See you tomorrow." He waved his hand and turned back to the door.

That was so not fair.

"Peeta—" I said, but stopped myself, biting my lip. I had no idea what to say, but Peeta did that often. Manipulative little… I made a noise of frustration from the back of my throat. It melted into a sigh of defeat.

He turned back to me, frowning, and then tilted his head a little bit, considering me.

I sat on the edge of the bed, rubbing my dry eyes. He was still standing motionless in front of me, and I didn't have the strength to argue or try and deny whatever there was in my tortured noggin to deny. Stupid boy. Shaking my head, I just scooted backwards and tucked my legs back under the covers. "Only until I fall asleep."

Peeta just blinked, a look of slight surprise on his partially-illuminated face. He didn't speak, though. Just stood there, wavering back and forth a bit, deciding whether or not I was serious or if he really should.

"Peeta," I reached out to him with both arms, suddenly wanting nothing more than for him to stop just standing there staring at me like I hadn't said anything at all.

He abided—closing the door first—but his walk was slow as he came around the other side of the bed and sat down. In fact, he didn't even look at me as he stretched his legs out in front of him. I had to admit it was a bit awkward, but only up until Peeta settled down and relaxed his body against my side.

I let out a small sigh from my nose, unsurely curling my hand around the crook of his elbow. "Thanks." I could feel his light gaze upon me from where he was sitting up, and when my gaze flicked up to meet mine, azure eyes shone at me in the dark through long lashes. "Only until I fall asleep…" I repeated softly and closed my own eyes.

For a few minutes I laid there, both my arms curling around one of Peeta's own. Our breathing was matched and slow, and everything was frozen for a while. It was only when the heavy dragging feeling of sleep almost had me pulled under, when there was a shift next to me. Don't go yet… I wanted to say, but I was too comatose to be able to say anything. I'm not asleep yet…

But Peeta wasn't getting up. He was gently taking his arm back from mine, and then I felt it slide under my neck. Under the spent feeling of sleep, my head was too heavy to do anything except lull sideways limply. Sideways happened to be Peeta's shoulder. He had his arm around me once again, my head on his shoulder for the first time in…a week? No, less than. Half a week. It felt like five years. And though I was practically dead to the world, something inside me was stirred and found enough energy.

I let out a long, low sigh and stretched out my arms. They felt heavy, but nevertheless managed to drag themselves over Peeta's torso and tuck securely on the other side. I felt his chest rise and fall slightly with an intake of breath. This is how it' supposed to be. And even though it's supposed only to last for another few minutes until I go to sleep, the night hours ticked away silently until sunrise, and Peeta stayed with me until then.

oOo

It's really a shame. Not half an hour after I left my brilliant internet source, I finished the chapter. *Siiighh* But anyway, have a happy week and enjoy the rest of summer while you can. It's almost over. The next one or perhaps two chapters might be a bit long (perhaps tedious) but it's going to be fine, mostly because things get better with Kat and Peeta and there's the long-awaited for kiss! Oops just gave it away. :D