The Mockingjay Returns

Part 10: Always

"Peeta," I say, carefully. "Maybe you should go for a walk outside?"

The flashback hasn't begun yet but Peeta knows what's about to happen. It's startled everyone, all craning their necks with failed discretion to watch him exit the room. Through the ceiling-to-floor French windows, we can all see him walking out onto the vast patio. It starts to rain, and I watch him kneel down on the floor, terrified; everyone else has lost interest and gone back to their chatter.

I know it's not safe for me to go out and help him, so I make eye contact with Haymitch, who is sat by Beete. He nods, running outside to check on him. I decide not to look out of the window anymore, wishing to push this side of Peeta out of my mind.

Turing around, I notice Gale has been watching attentively. Probably sizing up his competition or something. He sees me looking his way and looks down, flustered.

"Will he be alright?" asks Paylor with concern in her tone.

"He'll be okay, don't worry"

"Okay," she says, disbelieving.

Half an hour later, Peeta and Haymitch return; this must have been a bad flashback. Although he looks calm now, I can tell he's been affected, tiredness evident on his face. They sit by me.

I try to start a conversation, failing to act natural because I still partly want to ignore Peeta's weak condition. It only reminds me of the old him that I lost.

"Well, the food here's nice!" It's not.

"Yeah, if you like stuffing yourself then sicking it back up." Haymitch jokes, rolling his eyes.

The rest of the evening consists of talking, eating and forced banter. As soon as I start to get bored, Effie calls us over.

"I'll show you to your rooms!" She calls.

We follow her out of the mansion and into a modern glass building down the street, much like the tribute centre. We get into a lift and stop on the fourth floor. By the looks of things, there are about five rooms on each floor. Everyone else has got out of the lift on previous floors so I must be sharing living space with Haymitch, Effie, Peeta and Johanna.

We walk out of the lift and take in our surroundings. I am stood in a very modern room, containing a sofa, table and tv. There are four doors coming off this one room, the bedrooms. As it's so late, I practically run to the door which has my name on it and collapse onto the huge double bed. The Capitol seems to have provided everyone with night wear and clothes, so I impatiently throw on the checked shorts and black shirt.

There are two more doors coming off my room, I guess one's a bathroom. It is. But the other door? I walk up to it and turn the door handle gently, jumping when I see Peeta, facing away from me. We have connecting rooms. I don't think Peeta sees me so I shut it fast and creep back into bed.

It's 3 in the morning when I wake from my latest crippling nightmare. This time, Snow was in it.

I shoot up in bed, having woken up sobbing uncontrollably. I know I won't go back to sleep now.

Then, quickly, Peeta runs through the door that connects our rooms. My sobs must have been louder that I'd thought. "Katniss," he says, "Are you alright?"

"It was just a nightmare, sorry..."

"Don't worry, I get them too." He says, about to leave the room.

"Peeta!" He turns around.

"Yeah?"

"Will you stay with me?" I remember the Quater Quell. The nights he stayed with me and stopped my nightmares. Maybe this could work.

"Katniss... I can't." His voice cracks. "I don't want to hurt you!" I look away. "I had a bad flashback today, and I'll probably get another... I can't"

"I don't care! Wake me up if you feel weird, and I'll get up don't worry, Peeta!"

Peeta looks at me again. "It's not that simple," he says.

I try one more time to convince him: "stay with me." I say, this time with persistence.

Peeta doesn't stay for long, but he sits on the edge of the bed, covering my hand gently with his.

"Always." He says, as I fall asleep with him right next to me.
----------------------------------------------
Hey, thank you for reading! I've edited a few chapters to make them longer because I feel like they weren't long enough for you guys 😂 Vote and comment what you thought, thanks  guys x x x