The Beauty Beneath The Beast

Chapter 11: Katniss

"Katniss," I hear Peeta whisper. "Staring out the window at the mountain is not gonna make Prim come home any faster. Please come back to bed." I look at him with tears in my eyes.

"I just miss her so much," I cry. Peeta pulls me into his arms and just holds me close while I sob.

"I know you do Baby," he whispers. "I know you do." I feel him press a gentle kiss to the top of my head. He runs his fingers up and down my back, making me lean into him. I wrap my arms around his neck.

It's still weird to do this when he's not in the same form as before. To feel his soft blonde curls under my fingers instead of coarse brown fur. To not feel the tips of his claws just barely digging into me when he holds me. To actually be able to hold Peeta back instead of barely getting my arms around his shoulders.

I feel him ever so gently pick me up and carry me to his bed, which we now share. He sets me down and kneels in front of me. He uses two fingers and lifts my chin to look at him.

"You know I love you, right?" he asks.

"Of course," I say. "And I love you too."

"Well, I've been meaning to ask you something for a little while now," he says.

"Oh really?" I ask him. "Like what?" I think it's going to just be a stupid little question, like would I pose for another painting for him, which I've only done once and fully clothed, but I let out a small gasp when he pulls a dark blue ring box out of his pocket.

"Like if you wouldn't mind marrying me too terribly?" he asks opening the box to reveal a beautiful platinum ring with a pearl inset adorned with diamonds and emeralds.

"Oh Peeta," I say. "I don't know what to say."

"Well say something," he says and I laugh.

"Don't you know by now I'm not good at saying something," I say. I gently pull him into a kiss and he smiles as he pulls away.

"So what do you say?" he asks.

"Yes," I say smiling.

"Yes?" he asks with his eyes shining brightly and I nod.

"Yes!" I say. I wrap my arms around his neck and he picks me up, spinning me around before gently setting me on the ground.

"You mean it?" he asks.

"Of course I do," I say. "I love you with all my heart." His gives me a warm, gentle kiss and I gratefully return it.

"Can I put the ring on?" he asks as he leans his forehead onto mine.

"Why not?" I say laughing as I watch him get down on one knee and take my left hand, slowly slipping the ring onto my finger. I raise my hand up and smile. "It's beautiful Peeta. I love it."

"It's not even close to as beautiful as you," Peeta says.

"Don't lie to me Peeta," I say.

"I'm not," he says. "You are the most beautiful girl I've ever laid eyes on, Katniss. I can't believe that you're the one I get to hold each night. The one who I fall in love with all over again when I wake up and see your face all aglow in the sunlight."

"And the one that is currently carrying your child," I say interrupting him and making his eyes go wide when he realizes what I just said.

"What?" he asks. "Did you just say what I think you said?" I look down at my feet. He sticks his fingers under my chin so I'm forced to look at him. "Katniss?"

"Well, it's not exactly how I wanted to tell you," I say. "But everything kind of fell into place about a week ago and I guess I'm pregnant. I don't really know how, well I mean I know how but I'm just trying to figure out when exactly and," he cuts me off with a kiss.

"I don't care," he says. "You're really having a baby?" I nod, smiling.

"Yeah," I say. "Like I said, I'm not sure when exactly, and like you said, it doesn't matter, but yeah, I guess I am."

"Like a real baby?" he asks.

"Yes Peeta," I say. "A real baby. Your baby." I sit down on the side if the bed and he kneels in front of me and runs his hand across my abdomen.

"I'm so happy," he says. He presses a kiss to my stomach. He holds his hand there, rubbing soothing circles with his thumb.

"Me too," I say.

"I can't believe this is really happening," he says. "We're getting married and having a baby and it just, it doesn't seem real."

"I know," I say. "But I couldn't be happier." We just sit there for a moment, enjoying each others company when I hear a knock on the door. Peeta stands up and goes to the door while I go over to the chair I laid my robe on considering I'm not exactly wearing a modest nightgown tonight. It only goes just below my butt and its trimmed with lace.

"What is it?" Peeta asks Finnick when he opens the door.

"We have a visitor," he says. "I think it's Katniss' sister." I walk up to them and push past Finnick. I walk down the hall until I can look over the railing and see Annie and Mrs Potts trying to comfort a small, disheveled blonde.

"Prim?" I call. She looks up at me and smiles.

"Katniss!" she says and runs up the stairs and into my arms. She holds me tightly before pulling away and grabbing my hand, trying to pull me with her.

"What are you doing?" I ask her.

"Getting you out of here," she says. "We can finally get you away from the Beast." I don't go with her and she stares at me. "Come on! We have to get out of here before he finds us."

"The spell over this castle is broken," I say. "There is no more beast."

"He's brainwashed you!" Prim says. "We have to get you out of here."

"Prim, I'm not going to leave," I say. "I'm pregnant and getting married." I feel someone lay a hand on my shoulder and look up to see Peeta standing there, smiling at me. "I'm very happy with my beast." He kisses my cheek and I smile at him.

"He, he's the beast," Prim says backing away.

"Yeah," I say.

"But How? Why?" she asks. I turn to Peeta, silently asking him to leave me alone with her. He nods and walks back to our room. I gently take Prim's hand.

"Come on," I say. "I've got a lot to tell you."