The phone rings just as I am about to get descend upstairs to get dressed. I answer hesitantly.
"Hello?"
"Good morning Katniss. This is Doctor Aurelius. I'm calling for our session." There's a background noise of papers being ruffled around. I groan. Peeta lets out a chuckle and returns to his baking.
"So how're you today?"
An instinct tells me to lie. "Fine." I say coolly. "Just fine."
"Katniss, I can see through the lies." He says very bluntly. "How are the nightmares?"
I suddenly want to tell him that almost every night is full of them, and the only time they aren't like that are when Peeta is with me. But even then I can have them. They just aren't as often, or severe. I want to tell him about the deaths I see of Prim, Rue, Finnick, Peeta, Cinna, even Haymitch! I want to blurt out the dream about the peacekeepers. I'm in the school. For every answer I get wrong they blow up a grade section- starting with kindergarten. Little ones died all because I couldn't remember the difference between two types of coal. I don't even realize that I started telling him until he chimes in.
"What I want you to do is continue taking the white and pink medications. As well as the green, you are to take two of those before bed until further notice. Do you understand?"
"Yes." I mumble.
"I trust you and Peeta are speaking now?"
"Yes. We are."
"You're doing the right thing Katniss. Helping him will help you. I look forward to speaking with you next week." Doctor Aurelius ends the phone call. I hang the phone back on the wall. I rush up the stairs to change, when I return Peeta is already by the door- all ready to go. He opens the door.
"Ladies first" he mutters and gestures me out the door. I smirk a little; no one had ever done that for me. At least not since my father pasted. I walk out the door and pull Peeta's hand to follow me. We walk with our hands locked to the woods. As soon as we arrive I put my index finger to my lips. Even though I know he can't exactly stay silent, he attempts too. I grab my bow and arrows that are hidden in a tree. His facial expression spells out confusion.
"I'm teaching you how to shoot."
"Katniss, I ca-" Cutting him off, I put the bow and arrow into his hands.
"You can. I'll teach you." He sighs in defeat.
We spend the rest of the morning, and part of afternoon working on his shooting skills. He's not half bad honestly. All though the first few shots he makes barely hit the tree, by mid afternoon he is accurately shooting, he even manages a squirrel. It's sloppy, and in the stomach- he'll never be like me. He retrieves his kill. His smile is so bright.
"Katniss! Katniss look! I did it!" excitement is in his voice. I nod and smile.
"There are herbs in the field a half a mile from here."
"I'd like that." So we hike to the spot. He goes crazy gathering new herbs for his bread.
I take a seat and drift into a little nap. Peeta is sitting beside me when I wake, he smiles.
"Well hello there."
"Hi." I say sheepishly. Then I realize the time of day it is- evening. Perfect, because he will be able to see a sunset-a beautiful sunset that reminded me of him so many weeks ago. Propping myself up on my elbows, Peeta moves closer. He looks amazed at sight on the horizon. It's like he is a blind man seeing for the first time, he's only looked at one other thing like that before- me.
"That's what I wanted to show you." I say standing up.
"It's amazing." He says. I know it will take us a bit longer to get home-so we leave, but every so often I see him glancing back in the direction of the sunset. He grabs my hand, and we make our way out of the forest. While on our way to the Hob, I avoid the roads like I always do that lead to my house. However I forget that my particular path leads right by the rubble of a bakery. Peeta lets go of my hand and just stares at it. There are tears forming. He crouches down and picks up a handful of the rubble.
I crouch down beside him.
"We will rebuild Peeta." I kiss his cheek without thinking, and that is when I see them.
