So, this chapter took me quite a while to write, i'll admit, so I apologise for that, though I did have a little bit of fun while writing it. :) Enjoy
I sat by my father's side for hours, holding his hand, while Oin continually pressed herbs onto the wounds Jed had gained, watching the infection that threatened him slowly disappear, until it was gone and it was simply a matter of waiting for him to wake up. The other dwarves had gradually each left to bathe in the stream at the bottom of the 'Carrock', as Gandalf had called this odd rock formation, leaving only myself, Peeta, Gandalf, Oin and my father at the top waiting for him to awake.
"I think young Jed here will be fine now Oin, so why don't you join the rest of the company down by the stream. Mr and Mrs Mellark will both be fine." Gandalf said from the other end of the stone. Oin hesitated for a moment, but nodded his head and gradually stood and made his way down the declining slope and down the stairs that Bofur had found earlier in the day, calling back an ' I will tell the others how he is doing' as he went.
As soon as he was out of sight, I felt a slight movement in my hand. Looking down to my father, I found his eyes to be blinking rapidly as he opened them to the clearly blinding sunlight. His eyes focused on me and he smiled, a gesture that I reciprocated as I felt Peeta's hand on my shoulder.
Placing my hand on my husband's, I watched as my father sat up and look around, clearly confused. "Katniss?" he said, turning to look at me. I raised an eyebrow as a silent 'yes?'. "Where are we?"
I chuckled at the simple question before relaying the story from the burning trees, the eagles and, finally, landing at the Carrock.
"You've been unconscious for hours... Father." The word now sounded strange as I said it, though I saw the clear smile on his face as he heard me say it.
"I apologise for clearly worrying you all. So where are the others? I would wish to speak with them, if that is possible?" I stood from my place on the ground, taking a step back into Peeta, who placed his hand around my waist.
"The others are bathing in the stream. I think you should rest a while though. The wounds that you gained, could have killed you." My gestures became more and more extravagant as my words got louder with each one.
"Katniss. I am fine. I am sure that if I was not capable, my body would not have allowed me to wake up just yet." He responded, pressing his hands into my arms, pulling me out of Peeta's grasp and embracing me, while whispering into my ear. "I am fine. I promise you." Before allowing me to step back into Peeta's arms. "Now, are there a set of stairs we could use to get down from.. here.." Jeds words seemed to fail him as he looked out over the plains at what we had already been notified was Erebor. The Lonely Mountain, which had become only a legend back in Panem. "Is that what I think it is?" I watched as my father walked closer to the edge of the rock, never taking his eyes from the mountain in the distance. He looked back to me and all I could do was smile in response, to confirm his suspicions as he smiled back at me and turned back towards it. "Now I really must speak with the others."
We made our way down the Carrock slowly, not stopping once as we wound our way down the staircase that wound around the miraculous rock formation, to the ground. Myself and Peeta sat on a rock at the bottom as Jed joined the others at the stream. Gandalf sat on another rock close to where we sat as we stayed in the silence that took us. Only a half hour went by before I got slightly overwhelmed by the deafening silence and asked the one question that had been on my mind for months.
"Gandalf," the wizard's head turned to me. "Do you think there is a chance we could go home?" I looked to him as I finished my question and noticed that he seemed to be thinking quite intently.
After a few minutes, Gandalf responded. "Honestly, I do not know Katniss. In all my time in Middle Earth, I have heard nothing of this 'Panem'. Do you believe you will go home?" He looked intently at me, meeting my gaze as I thought about my answer for what seemed like ages.
"I will go home. I have to." I said determinedly, smiling a little at Peeta who was grinning at me. He placed his arm around my waist once again and I pressed my lips to his briefly, still smiling before pulling away and leaving the 3 of us in silence once again.
It wasn't long before Gandalf clearly got bored of the silence. "That man we gained in Rivendell, Finnick, he is from your world, no?" I nodded at him signalling yes, Finnick is from Panem. "He is quite good looking, don't you think?" I looked up at the wizard before speaking.
"Yes, but I prefer my husband of course." I said, leaning into said husband a little, feeling his arm tighten around me, though at that precise moment, the man that had become the topic of our discussion decided it would be the best time to run, stark naked, through the clearing and into the woods at the other side, not stopping at all, quietly laughing to himself as he went. I waited a moment before the words that were in my minds spilled out before I could stop them. "I stand corrected."
I felt my husband tense up beside me and his arm loosened from around my waist, leaving a cold patch on my back and side. I looked to him to try and ease the tensions but heard some shouting from the woods in the direction the rest of the company were in. Turning towards the noise that was quickly becoming louder with each second, I saw a sight I did not expect to see in all my years of life. Each of the dwarves in the company, barr none, came raging through the clearing shouting after the demi-god, their clothes wet through as they ran. The cries from the dwarves and the cackling laughter from Finnick were enough to bring forth a smile from Peeta though I knew he would not let what I said drop, yet. When all the dwarves were out of sight once again and the noise was dying down, I stood from my place on the rock and held my hand out for my husband, which he took, before pulling him up off of the rock and all but dragging him in the direction of the stream.
As I bathed, quietly, in the stream, I thought about what to say to Peeta to make up for what I had said, but came up with absolutely nothing and was about to dunk back under the water when Peeta spoke.
"Katniss?" I turned to him, half expecting him to look incredibly angry, though found him sat on a small-ish rock by the side of the water, fully dressed, looking at the water. "Do you really think that Finnick is good looking?" He finished him sentence by glancing up at me, though not moving his head at all.
I smiled a little as I moved closer to him so I didn't have to half shout. "Yes. Finnick 'Look at me, I'm naked' Odair, is a good looking man." I watched as Peetas face fell as I spoke. "But he isn't you Peeta." I said, moving out of the water with every word, reaching my husband and lifting his head with my finger. I looked him in the eyes as I said my next words. "I love you Peeta Mellark, and no amount of naked Finnick will make me turn from you" I saw the smile break his face, and I pressed my lips to his again.
The kiss became deeper and stronger as I stood between my husband's legs, wrapping my arms around his neck as he placed his around my waist pulling me closer, the heat from the years of our relationship as strong as ever.
"My my, aren't you two a good looking pair" The words shocked me out of the kiss and I felt Peeta tense up again in front of me as we turned our heads to see Finnick stood on a tall rock nearby, eyebrow raised, clothes nowhere to be seen.
"Fuck off Finnick." Peeta said, before turning back to me, ducking his head and pressing lips to the side of my neck. I barely held the moan that threatened to escape as I glared at Finnick, who held up his hands and backed down off the rock, ducking back into the trees and moving back to the clearing, leaving myself and Peeta in peace.
There we go guys. Next chapter. :) Hope you liked it.