After The Always - Sequel to The 1 and Only Real

Chapter 23

Katniss' POV

"Katniss." My eyes instantly open when I hear my name spoken quietly. I look up and find I am in the same place as I was before. Our lake house.

"Katniss." I hear again and face Peeta. That's when I see him.
Peeta, still asleep, is shaking and tears are starting to spill. "Katniss." This makes me sit up in bed. Normally it's me, but this is one if the days when it's him.

I remove the sheets from my legs and sit on top of them. I kneel beside Peeta and stroke his arm.

"Peeta." I say calmly, hoping to see his blue orbs. But no, they remain hidden.

"Katniss." Peeta exclaims, close to a scream and he starts crying in his sleep.

"Peeta. It's not real." I say, turning him so he is lying on his back.

"Katniss!" He screams. "No Katniss No!" This is when I have a total freak out.

"Peeta! Peeta! Wake up baby! Wake up!" I exclaim but it still doesn't work.

"Don't leave me Katniss!" Peeta shouts, still in sleep.

"Peeta! It's not real! It's not real! Wake up." I shout, tears wanting to spill as I shake him with both my arms.

"Wake up! I'm here! I'm safe. PEETA! WAKE UP!" I scream and the tears start to spill.
He still isn't waking and the nightmare is still haunting him.

"PEETA! WAKE UP! DON'T LEAVE ME PEETA. I'M RIGHT HERE. IT'S NOT REAL!" I scream again in an attempt to wake him up.

Peeta wakes up in a jolt and darts his eyes around the room. He still shakes and still cries.

"Oh my gosh Peeta!" I exclaim. I place a hand on his back and the back of his head and engulf him in a hug.

"Peeta." I murmur and Peeta wraps his arms around my waist.

I try to stay strong, the sobbing noises stop but the tears still flow down my cheeks.

"It's okay Peeta. We're safe. It wasn't real." I repeat into his ear as I stroke his hair. I pant slowly as I regain my breath after waking him up.

I remove my hands and place them on his cheeks. I lean his head up so he can look at me.
I now see those blue eyes I was desperate to see. I see fear and sadness in them as well. I don't like seeing that in Peeta's eyes.

I give him a peck on the lips, which he sadly doesn't return and I rest his head in the crook of my neck. One of my hands finds its way to the back of his neck and the other wraps the best as it can around Peeta.

"You're okay. You're okay." I notice Peeta is still shaking.

I stroke his neck and his side to try and help the shaking to stop. It takes a while but it gradually does make it stop.

Once I find the shaking has gone, I kiss his head before lying him down again. From then on, Peeta's eyes don't leave mine.

I lie down close beside him and stroke his right cheek.

"You want to tell me about it?" I ask. Peeta just shakes his head in reply.

"Okay." I add and kiss him again. I sadly smile at him and hug him.

Slowly and gradually, Peeta falls asleep again.

I know though, that he was scared to do so.