Author's Note: Hello Dandelions. So many AMAZING reviews last chapter. I would be doing my backflips if I actually could do a backflip. Thank you so much my loves. This chapter may be very boring for some (haters ) or very fluffy and lovely for others (brothers and sisters ). Please read the note at the end, IMPORTANT QUESTION. Here is chapter 43. Enjoy

I don't own The Hunger Games

Chapter 43

Katniss's POV

I wake up the next day with the sunlight shining through the bedroom window; I didn't even realize there was a window in this room until now. I'm still resting against Peeta's broad and warm chest, while he is soundly asleep. There is a tray with some breakfast waiting next to my bed, I smile when I notice that there is enough for two people. I look up at the boy of angel curls and ocean azure eyes and I can't bring myself to wake him up. Yesterday was an eventful day and we both needed some rest. I take some time to just watch him and memorize the features of his perfect face, his neck and whenever my eyes can reach without having to move my body. Peeta is only 18, same age as me. I feel act like fully developed adults; the rebellion made us grow up so fast and all we have been through have left worried expression forever tattooed on our faces. But in this moment, looking at his closed eyelids and his perfect puffy lips, I see a boy. My boy. Young and scared, trying to figure out the world while still growing up, and becoming more and more handsome as he goes, more and more manly. I'm so lost in my own thoughts that I don't notice Peeta's blue irises staring back at me.

"Enjoying the view?" He teases.

"huh?" I ask distracted.

"You were watching me like a hawk." He laughs. I smile and I feel color rising to my cheeks..

"How can you still blush for something so small? We have seem each other in our worst and our best, and also at all our glory…" He teases. I smack him playfully and now my cheeks are burning. "Anyway….There is nothing to hide or be embarrassed about." I think about it and it's true. At the end of it all, I'm still the "pure" one. As if on clue, a nurse comes in to save me; or more like to check on me.

"Good morning to you two." Peeta greets her back, always the gentleman, and I just nod. "Well Katniss, we are going to examinee you again and depending on your results you will be free to go back home today." A smile crosses my lips, I'm finally getting out of this white prison. "But first, both of you, finish your breakfast. I will come back in a couple minutes to proceed with the exams." She walks out, leaving just me and Peeta again.

"Did you hear that? You may be going home, we may be going home today." I look at him and give him the best smile I can manage, he smiles back but I notice he is not looking at me. Peeta is staring at the tray of food like a hunter stares at its prey.

"Wow, you can eat it Peeta." I laugh.

"Well, I guess you mean we both can eat right?" He corrects. I nod and try reaching for the tray, which doesn't work since I'm still connected to the stupid IVs. "I got it." I cross my legs as Peeta places a cloth on the bed and carefully places the food on it. He sits opposite from me also crossing his legs; I miss his warmth already.

We eat in comfortable silence, enjoying the food and each other's company, only interrupted but the laughter when we reach for the same thing at the same time. There is fresh fruit and something they call "fresh bread", but it doesn't even taste like bread. Peeta teases me about being a little too used to his bread and not enjoying what is put in for me, but who can blame me if Peeta is the best baker in Panem?

We finish our food and while Peeta is cleaning up our small mess the nurse comes back in followed by a tall dark-haired male doctor. I feel the panic rising in my chest as he reminds me so much of….Gale. What even happened to him? I didn't hear anything from him since last time I saw Peeta kicking his behind. I try to focus on happy thoughts and relax but it is impossible. I notice that the doctor has gray eyes, so similar to my own and….and….I can't bring myself to think about his name again.

"Ms. Everdeen? Ms. Everdeen? Katniss!?" I hear someone calling my name. I haven't noticed that I completely froze, staring at the doctor.

"Y-y-yes?" I try to act fine. I have to show her that I'm okay if I want to get out of here.

"I said we are running a couple tests, which includes another blood sample." I nod. I panic as I watch Peeta walk behind the nurse towards the door.

"Peeta?!" I call, my voice sounding a little more desperate than I wanted and a lot less desperate than I'm actually feeling.

"He will be waiting right outside this door Ms. Everdeen. Everything is okay." No it is not! I have Gale….I mean a tall doctor in this room with me and I don't feel safe.

"P-p-please let him stay." I beg. Her face shows a look of disapproval. "Please I'm begging you. I don't want to be here without him." My voice is breaking and the tears in my eyes must be pretty obvious. Peeta's warm hands are on my arm in no time and I feel the heavy feeling in my chest subside a little. "Please!" I cry, letting one single rebel tear slide down my face.

"Alright. He can stay, but you cannot let his presence interfere with anything." I nod desperately. Peeta wipes the tear from my face with his thumb and gives me a tender kiss on my cheek, making his presence known.

"I'm going to start by changing your bandage while I ask you a couple of questions. After that I will take the blood sample and then Dr. James will run a couple physical tests. Any questions?" The nurse asks as she grabs my arm and places it on a metal board she brought with her. I shake my head and watch carefully as she unwraps the bandage.

"Ow…" I wince as she pulls the last piece revealing three cuts. They look like deep and long scratches and the skin around them is black, like a gigantic bruise.

"Are you okay baby?" Peeta whispers in my ear softly, I look at him and nod, trying to smile reassuring but falling miserably. He takes my other hand in his and squeezes, and only the contact of his warm banker hands make me feel grounded and somewhat safe.

"You broke the needles inside your arm when you pulled them so violently, causing them to rip your vein. You were lucky we were fast enough to stop the bleeding and bandage it, no harm done." The nurse puts a cotton ball right on top of the cuts making me grind my teeth in pain. Peeta notices and squeezes my hand tighter, giving it little loving pecks. It feels like forever before my arm is bandaged again and she finally lets it rest.

"I will remove the IVs which will completely cut the painkillers. You were not given morphine due to….the little problem. We used a different, not as strong, kind and it seemed to have worked well. Let us know if you feel anything different, including nausea or dizziness." I nod and watch and the nurse kicks Peeta out of his little chair, making him move to my other side, and start working on properly removing the needles from my arms. I become completely unaware of what they are doing as I watch Peeta caress and place soft kisses on my bandaged arm that the nurse just worked on. How can this angel be so loving? How did I get so lucky to have him?

"All done here." I barely felt as they took my blood sample or removed the needles, that is how fascinated I was by watching my dandelion. " will proceed from here." I nod shakily; I just can't get to think straight whenever this man comes closer to me. I know this is irrelevant but his face brings me memories of him.

The physical exams are easier and quicker than I was expecting, just simple things as walk around the room, and touch my toes and asking question like "Do you feel any pain on the back of your head?". When he seems to be done both doctors whisper something to each other and Dr. James leaves the room.

"I'm going to check the cut on your head." She nurse says. She makes me lay on my stomach and keep my face pressed against the pillow, making it very difficult to breathe. I don't feel Peeta's touch anymore and even though I feel his presence and I know he is in the room I start to feel a little anxious and nervous. The nurse is careful as she removes the bandage from my head.

"This is looking good. You are healing pretty fast. I'm going to remove the stiches, try not to move. Tell me if you need me to stop. This may be a little painful but it shouldn't be too terrible." The same panic is taking over my body and my breathing becomes a deep and heavy panting.

"Try to relax Katniss. I'm right here." I hear Peeta saying. His voice brings me some reassurance but I still can't feel him. A cold metal tool touches my head and I feel as the nurse starts to slowly pull the line. The pain is there but is it not as unsupportable as I was expecting, whatever she was doing to my arm earlier was way more painful. When she is finally done another bandage is pressed on my head and the nurse finally leaves the room, saying that they are going to make a decision as they check my blood test results. Right After, I find myself sitting on Peeta's lap , who is sitting on the bed, waiting hopefully for the doctors. He has both arms wrapped tightly around me as I rest my head on his shoulder, our legs swinging off the bed.

` We don't have to wait for a long time as the same nurse, who I finally find out is called Valentina, comes back with a smile on her face.

"Very well Ms. Everdeen. You seem to be okay enough to go home." Peeta and I smile brightly. "But there is a list of little "precautions" you will be taking until you are fully recovered. Also, you will be asked to come to the clinic and take a blood sample once a week until we are sure your blood is completely clean." Of course, It could not be this easy. Both Peeta and I nod and says something about asking Haymitch for his signature since he is our "legal guardian".

Peeta and I take a little trip to the cafeteria as Haymitch runs to my house and picks some fresh clothes for me; since I wouldn't let Peeta leave my side. Peeta orders some food for us but all I want is to taste his fresh baked goodies, not old tasteless hospital food.

As soon as Haymitch is back, I run to the closest bathroom and change, ready to leave. Peeta takes my hand and we exit the small hospital, Haymitch following right behind us. I can't help but as the sunlight touches my skin I feel as it means the beginning of our finally so well deserved peaceful and hopeful future.

I know I promised some, *Cough Lemons, Everlark love scene in this chapter but I wanted to bring them home first. Next one I promise I will add some love and we are to start our final wrap up. So, I have a very important question. It was brought to my attention by a very lovely reviewer ("hi" 3) that I forgot about Gale lol. Do you guys want me to just give some information on what happened to him or you want a conversation between him and Katniss, or maybe him and Peeta, to wrap him up once and for all? You decide my loves. Hope you enjoyed this chapter. See you next time.