The Beauty Beneath The Beast

Epilouge

I look in the mirror nervously as Prim finishes pinning my hair up. The white dress I'm wearing hugs my frame and I resist the urge to bite my freshly painted red nails.

"You look beautiful Katniss," Prim says. "Are you excited?"

"A little nervous actually," I say.

"What is there to be nervous about?" she asks. "You guys already have that beautiful baby girl together. Whats the big deal about making your family official?"

"I don't know," I say. "The fact that all this is real now. I mean, I know it's real because of the way I feel when he looks at me, but its just, I'm officially accepting him as my one and only and it's just so weird." I hear a happy squeal and look over to see Belle repeatedly beating her stuffed bunny on the ground.

"Well are you excited Babycakes?"Prim asks her. Belle squeals and gives a one toothed grin before chewing the ear of her bunny. I chuckle and get up, picking her up in my arms.

"I take that as a yes," I say. "Although I think you should be nicer to Peter Rabbit." She giggles and I kiss her little cheek. I hear a knock on the door and I look over to see it open up as Finnick comes in.

"It's time Kitty!" he says. I nod and look at my daughter.

"I guess it's time to let you go to Auntie Prim," I say. He hand her over and follow Finnick out of the room.

"You nervous Kat?" he asks.

"As much as you'd expect someone would be on their wedding day," I say.

"You'll be fine," he says. "You love each other. That is all that matters."

"Yeah," I say. "But it's still this huge thing. I'm getting married and it just didn't seem real before this. Even though we have Annabelle, I just, I'm gonna be someone's wife. I'm actually going to be someone's one and only."

"You already are his one and only," he says. "This is just making it official."

"But," I say and he shakes his head as we stop outside the chapel.

"Just get in there Everdeen," he says. "Its time for you to officially become my boss." I laugh as he opens the door for me. I walk down the aisle as Peeta smiles at me. The small gathering of people stand and watch silently as Peeta and I take our vows. As he slips the ring on my finger, I feel a tear run down my cheek. He looks up at me and brushes it away.

"Are you okay?" he whispers softly.

"I've never been better," I say. We stare at each other and I feel his fingers slip between mine. As the ceremony comes to a close, I feel Peeta lift the veil off my face and we smile at each other before his lips meet mine. I feel his hand gently cup my cheek as he pulls away.

"We're married," he says smiling at me. "We're finally married."

"I know," I say. "We really are." I hear a little squeal and turn to see Prim standing there with Belle. He lets go of my hand and takes our baby girl up into his arms. She giggles and reaches out to grab part of my veil.

"No, no, no," Peeta says taking her tiny fist in his hand before she can yank the veil out of my hair. "Don't do that sweetie. You don't want to hurt Mommy do you?" She claps happily and reaches for me so I take her from Peeta. She plays with the necklace around my neck as Peeta and I walk back through all our friends who smile and congratulate us.

We come to the end of the room and walk out. The sun shines through the stained glass windows, bathing us in shards of bright color. Belle reaches out as though to catch them.

"Where do we go from here Peeta?" I ask. He smiles at me and wraps his arm around my waist.

"Anywhere we want my Darling," he says. "Anywhere we want." I lean over and kiss his cheek. I knew there was something in those blue eyes that at one time stared at me through the darkness, hidden in that monstrous beast. And feeling my daughter play with my hair, I can't help but be thankful that I saw the beauty beneath that beast.

Or else I may not have ever gotten my personal beauty.