Always: A Hunger Games Fanfiction

Chapter 137

*Three Months Later*

Katniss

It's been three whole months since we arrived back home from the Capitol. Not a day goes by that I don't regret everything that happened on the trip. Everything besides the night on the train home. I don't remember much. All I can remember is the feeling of safety that I had while I was wrapped in Peeta's loving embrace.

Willow is now sixth months old. It seems as if she's growing more and more each day. She's begun to eat solid foods and she talks all of the time in her beautiful baby language of hers. As she grows, so does my love for her. I didn't think that it was possible to love her more than I already did, but as I continue to learn about who she is and who she could be, I feel as though I'm falling in love all over again.

I sit beside Peeta on the couch in front of our fireplace. My head rests on Peeta's shoulder, our hands entwined. After our fight in the Capitol, it seems as if we've grown closer. I've finally made peace with the fact that I have to let other people help me. I've realized that it's impossible for me to live on my own, without Peeta. Because I can't. I can't survive without Peeta. He is the only one who could possibly understand me and what I've been through. So I let him comfort and love me. And I comfort and love him. I love him so much. I love the way his blue eyes sparkle when he's happy. I love the way he looks so peaceful when he sleeps. I love it when he's so focused when painting that his entire face tenses and his eyebrows scrunch together. I love his laugh, his smile, his voice, his hugs and kisses. I love every single detail about him. I only wish that I'd recognized my endearment for him sooner. If only I had realized that I'd loved him before the Games, I could have saved him from getting hurt by me. I know how much it hurt him when he found out that every single thing I'd said to him in the Games was a lie, just a manipulative plot to save myself. So much has changed since then. I've changed so much since then.

I'm about to drift off when the phone rings from our kitchen. Immediately, a feeling of dread washes over me. Besides Plutarch, no one ever calls here. What if it is Plutarch? What if he's dragging us back to the Capitol again? No. No, I won't do it. I'll hang up on him. I'll refuse to speak to him ever again. After what happened last time, I will never go back into the Capitol again.

I kiss Peeta on the cheek and walk into our kitchen. I warily pick up the phone from the wall and place it to my ear. "Hello?" I ask.

"Hi Katniss," Gale whispers.

"Gale?" I ask, slightly taken aback. After Gale helped Peeta after his flashback, we've been on good terms. Besides, he has his family and I have mine. He's moved on. I do still care about him, but most certainly not in the way I used to. But he will always be my old best friend, my hunting partner. He was my family for a long time. "What's wrong?"

"I. . .It's my wife," he says. When Gale begins crying, my stomach sinks. Gale never cries. That's how I know the unthinkable must have happened. "She got sick a while ago. Last night. . .she's gone. My wife is dead, Katniss."

It feels as though all of the air has been sucked out of my lungs. How could this have happened? I can't even imagine life without Peeta. What would I do if he died? "Gale. . .I'm so sorry," I whisper, lost for words. "I can come over to your house to take care of your kids if you need me to."

"They're at my mother's. But could you come over anyway? I need someone to talk to," he says.

"Of course. I'll be there soon," I say before hanging up the phone. I take a deep breath and turn around to face Peeta, who must have entered the kitchen while I was talking.

"Katniss?" he asks, raising an eyebrow as if he's asking what's wrong. I want to tell him that so much is wrong. Everything about this is wrong. But instead, a take a step forward and wrap my arms tightly around his back. I never want to let him go. I can't imagine what would happen if I lost Peeta. I wouldn't be able to live. He's the only reason why I'm here today. He saves me, every single day. Even if he doesn't realize it.