I feel terrible. I literally haven't updated in so so so long, so as usual, I'm so so so sorry! Anyway, enjoy this chapter, hope you like it!

Katniss' POV

After the interview, Peeta, Madge, Delly, Effie and I are put in a limo and taken to the President's Mansion where President Snow used to live, and where President Coin almost lived. But now living there, is a much happier, livelier person that I actually like; Plutarch Heavensbee. As game maker of the 75th Hunger Games and rebel in District 13, Plutarch was seen fit for the job. He was a major part in winning the rebellion, and showed all of Panem that this country could actually have peace. Even though Plutarch is president now and I feel safe, pulling up to the President's Mansion makes the hairs stand up on the back of my neck. It was not too long ago when Peeta and I were here for our party from winning our first Hunger Games together. It was here where President Snow himself shook his head no at me, saying that Peeta and I's love was not enough. I can tell Peeta is tense too, because he tightens his grip on my hand, and I can literally feel his blood pumping faster. We look at each other with the same concerned look. But then when Plutarch Heavensbee himself opens our door and welcomes us outside, our concerned looks turn into actual smiles. Plutarch pulls us in for a short hug, and then begins walking us into an achingly familiar mansion. Seeing Plutarch here did calm us down quite a bit, but walking down the same walkway to the mansion brings back haunting images. At the doorway, Madge and Delly say goodbye to us and hello to the food, while Plutarch joins a group of others high up in the government, I assume.

"This party is all for you, enjoy." Effie says and walks away.

This brings back Peeta and me a painful memory of our last "party" here. The last party was almost fun, but not with the huge weight on our shoulders knowing that our families could be killed. Apparently the feeling is mutual, because Peeta grabs my hand and leads us away from the door. We almost run across the mansion's front yard, until he stops at a fountain and collapses on the cement edge. I sit down calmly next to him, and take his hand gently. He used to have these moments quite frequently, but as of recent they've come to a minimum. The sight of the Capitol, interviews and mansion have probably been too much for him to handle. I see his face trying to block out the horrible memories. Finally he opens his eyes and looks at me.

"Katniss, last time we were here at a party, Snow was trying to kill our families. Real or not real?" He asks breathlessly.

It'd be so much easier to lie and say not real, but I promised I'd tell him nothing but the truth. I look over to the mansion and sigh.

"Real." I say.

"I thought so, but now Snow's not here. So what am I so freaked out about?" He asks.

"It scares me too, but we can't just stay out here. We have to go in at some point." I tell him.

Peeta's face turns from worried and flustered to a smirk.

"Oh? And who says we can't? It is our party." He says and grabs me by the waist with both hands.

I laugh. "Someone will find us out here you know."

"That's not our problem." He says and leans in for a kiss.

"Peeta!" I squeal and accept his kiss.

I grab his face and go for another, but suddenly, he falls off the back edge of the fountain, plummeting into the lukewarm water with me still attached to him. In seconds, our clothes are drenched, but I could really care less. In fact, I get up and start splashing him since we're both wet anyway. He splashes me back as we stand in the fountain laughing. In a few minutes, cameras outside the fence of the mansion take pictures of us, but we just continue splashing. After a while, we get bored and head back to the door in our dripping wet clothes. Effie sees us and gives us a look of shock, and then briskly walks over to us. Ugh, I am not in the mood for a lecture from Effie about responsibility. Instead when she gets to us, she starts laughing and smiling at us. She doesn't even ask what happened, she just leads around people to an empty room to get changed. In seconds, my prep team is here, slightly drunk, with suitcases filled with outfits just for Peeta and I.

"If you guys wanted to go swimming, you could've just told us!" Octavia says and bursts out laughing as the other two join.

Flavius opens two cases and throws a white bathing suit at me, and navy swim trunks at Peeta. He closes the cases and walks out with Venia and Octavia still laughing. I'm left staring at the bathing suit in my hands, while Peeta does the same.

"Do they even have a pool here?" Peeta asks and looks at me.

"Peeta, it's the President's Mansion. What do you think?" I say with a laugh.

With that, Peeta kisses me on the cheek and says he'll meet me at the pool, wherever that may be. He leaves to find another room to change in. I go in the bathroom adjoining to this room, and put on the bathing suit. I've never worn one before, they mostly only have them in the Capitol or District 4. It's basically just like wearing underwear, except it's a different material. I wrap a towel around me, and see a servant when I walk out the door.

"Excuse me, which way is the pool?" I ask.

"Behind the garden, in the back." She replies.

Somehow I manage to get to the back garden through a series of long hallways and corridors without getting noticed by anyone. I find the glowing, turquoise, curved pool waiting there for us. And next to it secluded by some trees, a smaller, bubbling pool of sorts, with steam coming off of it. I kneel down to feel the pool, and feel what could only be described as magic. Nothing like the blood-warm waters of the ocean in the arena, or the freezing temperatures of the lake in my woods. I see Peeta come out of the corner of the garden, so I stand up to greet him. When he comes out in the navy blue suit, I realize I haven't seen him without a shirt since the second arena. He's more muscular and bigger than I remember, and also slightly tanner. Then I also remember, this is the first time he's ever seen me shirtless. I realize I'm still staring at him, and not his face, so I immediately look up at him. I should say something to make it less awkward.

"What's up?" I stutter out.

Stupid! So stupid! I stand here staring at him and all I can manage is a "what's up?" Then I realize, he's not looking at my face either. He finally comprehends my words and looks up at me with an embarrassed face.

"Sorry I was just… Nothings up just coming here to swim." He says with a nervous laugh.

"Oh did you?" I say with a smirk. "You just came here to swim?"

Peeta's nervous laugh turns into a regular one.

"You know Katniss, you are my fiancé. Aren't I allowed to just look at you?" He asks.

I just laugh and walk closer to him to embrace him and give him a quick kiss.

"I mean sure, but only if you allow me to do the same." I say, practically spitting the words out.

He lets go of me, and backs up a little bit, so we can just… well… stare at each other. It's weird looking at Peeta this way and liking it. I mean on the beach I was still confused about my feelings, and thought I was going to die, so my "husbands" appearance was the least of my problems. But now as I see him standing here in front of me, and knowing that he's all mine, it's all so different. I wonder how long I can stand here just staring at him without practically jumping on him for another kiss. Apparently he's thinking the same thing, because he basically runs up to me and picks me up. But then instead of what I'm thinking, he throws me in the pool.

"Ha-ha, very funny." I say sarcastically and splash him in the face.

Peeta jumps in the water, and then picks me up bridal style and takes me out of the pool. He sets me in the pool of bubbling hot water, and then joins me. Within seconds he has me pinned down on the shallow seat, arms grabbing my waist.

"You're really beautiful, you know." He says.

He looks at me and waits for a response.

"Well say something." He says.

"I'm not good at saying something." I say.

"Then come here, please." He says with a short laugh.

I crane my head up to initiate the first kiss. I don't know if it's the temperature of the water or the kissing, but I feel that burning sensation I get in the pit of my stomach when we kiss. With each kiss I'm not satisfied, but the fire burns hotter. I put my arms around Peeta's back and pull him closer and closer to me, never wanting him to stop.

WILL PEETA EVER STOP KISSING KATNISS? FIND OUT IN THE NEXT CHAPTER. THE SUSPENSE. Haha just kidding guys, but hope you really enjoyed this one! 5 reviews for an update!

Also, check out my other Everlark story Bittersweet, the prequel to this story Christmas in District 12 and my book, Tetra. (All posted on my profile!)

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