Hello again my little ducks. I would like to say a especial thank you to nellycarol23 for some amazing ideas. Btw, if you want to start your own fanfiction I would be more than glad to read it and if you need any help just private message me (Just remember, you have capacity to do whatever you want to do). So here is chapter 22 my loves. Please let me know what you think. Enjoy

I don't own The Hunger Games

Chapter 22

Katniss's POV

It's been five days since I last saw Peeta. The day after my first visit my mother brought me back to his room. He didn't have any reaction or tried talking again. Maybe the nurse was right, it was just a coincidence. After the first 48 hours my mother came to talk to us again. The only good news was that Peeta can finally breath by himself, which means he doesn't need to use that enormous oxygen mask anymore. On the other hand, his brain is not showing any kind of activity. He is completely still, like he is sleeping peacefully even after they stopped giving him the medication to keep him unconscious. None of the doctors can explain his reaction when I tried talking to him and he 'answered'. Most of them say that he didn't actually tried talking to me, maybe he was having a dream or his brain is trying to wake up. But the point is, Peeta is not waking up. He is not responding to any medication or stimulation.

Haymitch, Greasy Sae and I are the only ones left in the waiting room. Tom and the other guy had to get back to work; they come visit as often as they can. Greasy Sae closed her small restaurant for the time being, she doesn't want to leave my side and she also wants to be the first person to know if something changes. My mother and Haymitch try their best to take care of me. My mother forces me to eat at least once a day and Haymitch drags me home every two days to take a shower, he tries to make me lay on my bed and sleep but I can't face my nightmares alone. I probably look like a corpse. I lost all the weight, or even more, that I gained when Peeta came back, I barely shower or change my clothes and I haven't stopped crying. I can't keep my eyes dried for more than 5 minutes. Everyday seems like a new torture, my Peeta is farther away by each second. I'm losing all hope that he will come back to me this time.

It's late night, Haymitch and Greasy Sae are leaning against their chairs, sleeping soundly, but I can't bring my eyes to close. I can't remember last time I slept. Suddenly my mother comes running from one of the hallways, her face is pale and she is crying. My heart starts beating faster, what could be wrong now?

She runs to me and takes me in her arms hugging me tight. I start sobbing, I know what this means. Peeta is dead, I can feel it. My loud sobs wake Haymitch and Greasy Sae.

"What the hell is happening here?" Haymitch asks. I pull away just in time to see my mother shaking her head and Haytmich falls on his knees, sobbing. Greasy Sae and my mother try to comfort me but there is no use. Nobody will ever be able to comfort me. My dandelion is dead and I will be right behind him. I don't want to live anymore. I don't have a reason to keep living without Peeta. I will finally be with my sister and my father. We will be free from nightmares and the terror that haunts us every day and night.

I quickly search through my pockets until I find what I was looking for. A Nightlock Pill. I don't remember how I got it but I don't care. I just want die. I'm about to swallow it when Haymitch grabs my arm and takes the pill from me. "I already lost one of my kids. I won't let you do this Katniss. I can't lose you too." He yells. I never felt so angry with him, how can he be so selfish? He knows what Peeta means, meant, to me. I can't be here without him.

"GIVE IT BACK HAYMITCH!" I yell at him. "P-Please I-I w-want t-t-to d-d-die. P-p-please l-l-let m-me g-go. I-I-I c-c-can't l-l-live w-w-without h-h-him. H-HE I-I-IS D-D-DEAD H-HAYMITCH. P-PEETA I-I-IS D-D-DEAD." He doesn't listen to me and gives the pill to my mother who shakes her head before running back to wherever she came from, taking my only change to escape this pain away. "NOOOOOOO"….

"KATNISS? KATNISS!" Someone is shaking me. What is happening? When I open my eyes I'm looking straight into Haymitch's worried ones. Before I think about what I'm doing I start hitting his chest as hard as I can. "You are monster. How could you do that to me?" I yell, sobs are shaking my body. "H-h-he i-is d-d-dead, a-a-and y-y-you w-w-ant t-t-to k-k-keep m-m-me h-h-here." My hands are aching but I don't care. I keep hitting him but I'm too weak to cause much damage.

"What are you talking about sweetheart? OUCH.. can you please stop trying to break my bones?" he holds both my wrists with one hand and I can't move. I'm sitting on my chair, my hair is all over my face and I'm sobbing desperately.

"Katniss, I can hear your screams from the other side of the hospital. If you don't calm down they will probably kick you out soon." My mother says. Wait a second, my mother?

"What is happening?" I ask, finally calming down. "I should be asking you that question!" My mother answers.

"Where is Peeta?" I ask. My mother start beating faster, I'm afraid of her answer.

"That's what I came here to talk to you about. One of the nurses told me to bring you to his room. He tried talking again, Katniss he is trying to call you." My mother says.

"Please let me see him" I beg.

"Katniss, you will need to follow the rules. If someone asks you to leave, please do so." My mothers says. I nod and she takes my hand, leading the way towards Peeta's room.

"Just be careful and try talking to him." She says once she open the door. I'm about to walk in when my mother grabs my arm.

"Now Katniss, we are not sure how the progression is working, meaning that we don't know if he is really able to hear you or even know that you are here. Just remember that we are trying." She says. I just nod.

I sit on the same chair as before. He looks paler than before but at least he has less tubes connected to his arms. I take his cold hand in between my own and caress it. My mother seems to get the clue and leaves, I need some privacy with Peeta. I lean closer to his left ear and start talking to him. I try to keep my voice steady and soft but the tears that are streaming down my face make it hard to control the shaking.

"Hi my Dandelion. I don't know if you can hear me but I need to talk anyway. Peeta please come back to me." I start.

Peeta's POV

It's been so long since I last heard her voice. I don't know why but Katniss does not visit me anymore. I fight against the medications that are keeping me trapped to this bed, but they are stronger than me. I'm totally aware of my situation right now. I was working with the construction crew, I feel from the third floor, someone brought me to this hospital and I was supposed to be in a coma. Or maybe I'm in a coma, I'm not sure.

It's been days already and I still can't move. I only hear and feel pain. Sometimes, usually during what seems to be night time since they always say "good night", someone injects a liquid in my arm that feels really cold running through my veins but it helps to stop the pain.

People try talking to me but I can't answer. Some of the nurses, or at least I think so, try to ask me some question but I can't respond. I'm paralyzed. I want to get better and get out of this place. I want to see Katniss again, to hear her voice. Her angelic voice was the only thing that gave me enough strength to try and get better. She was here and she cares about me.

Today is not different. The nurses and doctor come, they talk about something and they leave. I don't usually pay attention to what they talk, except when is here. I always hope that she will tell me something about Katniss. A couple days ago I heard she talking to me.

"You know Peeta, Katniss misses you so much. She is crying everyday because she can't be here with you. She is sitting in the waiting room, they all are. We need you to get better boy. You are strong enough to do this. If not for you, do it for her. I know how much you love her now. I'm sorry for doubting you. Katniss loves you too and we need for you to come back." She said before giving me a kiss on the cheek and leaving.

So when she come back tonight I wait impatiently for her to say something, like I've been waiting the past three days, but she doesn't. I'm not sure what is happening outside this room. Is Katniss still here or has she given up on me already? I want to know but I can't bring myself to ask.

"So how is he tonight?" Ms. Everdeen asks.

"Nothing new. He is not responding to any of my commands and there are no signs of brain activity." The other woman, who I assume is my nurse, responds. She must be talking about the test from earlier. She gave me a couple of basic commands like "Open your eyes", "move your left or right hand" or "try to talk" but I couldn't respond to any of them. How do I tell them that I can hear their conversation when I can't move or talk?

"How is the girl?" The nurse asks. She must be talking about Katniss.

"She is even worse. I don't know what else to do to make her eat, I can't keep forcing her. She won't stop crying and Haymitch tries to bring her to her house to take a shower but she barely leaves the chair." Oh my poor Katniss. I need to talk to her. Come on Peeta, you survived two Hunger Games and the capitol torture, not mentioning hijacking. You can fight against whatever is making you completely paralyzed.

"Kahhkat" I try. I hear foot steps, someone is walking in my direction.

"Peeta? Did you say something?" Ms. Everdeen asks me. I take a deep breath and try again.

"Katnhkkiss" I try again, my strength is gone.

"Did you say 'Katniss'? Peeta if you can hear me can you please give me a sign." She says. Come on Peeta, one more. I can't bring myself to talk again, my throat is burning, so I try raising my hand.

"He is moving his hand." The nurse says. I feel someone holding my hand.

"He is waking up" Ms. Everdeen says.

"You don't know that. Maybe his brain is finally starting to work again. It doesn't mean he is hearing you." I'm starting to hate that woman.

"Peeta, if you can hear me can you please try to squeeze my hand?" she whispers in my ear. I do as I was told even though I can barely feel my hand.

"Do you want me to bring Katniss here to talk to you?" That's even my body snaps. I squeeze her hand as hand as I can. Of course I want Katniss to come here. I miss her so much.

"Okay, now rest." Ms. Everdeen says. She kisses my forehead and I finally allow myself to fall asleep.

"Hi my Dandelion. I don't know if you can hear me but I need to talk anyway. Peeta please come back to me." I hear someone saying as I finally wake up, but I can't open my eyes. Here we go again.

"I'm right here and I won't leave this hospital until you get better. I promise." It's her. Katniss is here. My Katniss is right here next to me. She is holding my hand so I try to squeeze it the same way I did with 's.

"Peeta? Peeta can you hear me?" I squeeze her hand again. It's incredible how her presence gives me the strength I need to try harder.

"OMG….Peeta" she is crying, her voice is unstable and shaking. I try to open my eyes but there is no use. My brain doesn't respond. I feel completely useless. So I do the only thing that comes to my head right now.

"Kaththts" I try, Why can't I speak normally? What is wrong with my brain?

"Shhhh, it's okay. Oh my God I can't believe you can actually hear me. Please try to rest, don't push yourself too much. I'm not leaving your side I promise. Suddenly I hear the voice of the girl who I fell in love with when I was five years old. Katniss is singing.

Here it's safe, here it's warm

Here the daisies guard you from every harm

Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true

Here is the place where I love you

The way her voice grows a little bit louder when she says 'I love you' makes me wonder if she really means it. Could Katniss really be in love with me? Could she love me the way I love her? With that thought in my mind and her beautiful voice in the background I finally fall sleep.

Katniss's POV

I stay there, singing to Peeta until my eyelids feel so heavy that I'm forced to close my eyes. I prepare myself for a terrible nightmare, but this time I dream. I dream about Peeta and I. We are holding hands, walking around the woods. Suddenly a little girl comes running to me and hugs my legs, her eyes are as blue as Peeta's and her hair reminds me of my own. When I look at Peeta he is no longer holding my hand but there is a child in his arms. A little boy, he has blond hair and his eyes are gray like my own. They are my children. Our children. They are mine and Peeta's children. I can't contain the smile that flashes on my face. I never wanted children but those two little kids are perfect. They are a perfect mixture of Peeta and I.

"Mommy." The little girl says while extending her arms, asking me to pick her up. We keep waking towards our destination, the little boy in Peeta's arms and the little girl in mine. I never felt so happy.

We finally reach our destination, the lake. The same lake I use to come with my father. I put the little girl down and she starts running around, hunting butterflies. Me and Peeta sit down on the grass and I take a moment to really look at him. He is smiling down at the little boy on his lap, he looks older but just as handsome. He looks up and meets my gaze.

"This will be our future Katniss." I hear him say. He brings his hand up and start caressing my cheek. "Now you need you go. Everything will be okay, I will see you soon." What does he mean by go? I don't want to go anywhere. I want to stay here with him and the kids.

Everything start to fade away and I'm left in the dark. I can still feel his warm hand caressing my cheek. But wasn't I dreaming? So what is touching my cheek?

"Wake up love." I hear a hoarse voice saying. It sounds like Peeta. When I open my eyes I'm staring straight into Peeta's ocean blue iris.

"I thought I would never see that beautiful face again."

Peeta is awake. Wait, What? I blink a couple times to make sure I'm not seeing things. Peeta's blue orbits are staring right into my gray ones. He is back. My Peeta is back.

There you go. I know that I didn't give him enough time to heal but I can't keep this two separated anymore. We need some Everllark moments. I receive a lot of reviews asking me to punish Gale. I just want to make sure you guys know that I didn't forget about him, he will get what he deserves and soon. Please review, your thoughts mean a lot to me. See you next time.