Everlark- The Years After the Epilogue *Editing*

Happiness

It had been a week since Peeta had come home from hospital. Luckily, he didn't need another prosthetic leg and they said his wounds would heal within 2 weeks, but until then he was on crutches. Tomorrow it was Cressida's party, I hadn't really discussed it with Peeta, but he was adamant that we were to go. I suppose he didn't want to make me feel like as if it was his fault for me not seeing Gale. The last week I hadn't been sleeping well, I'd wake up around 4am and just lay awake until it was time to take Willow to school, which was what I was doing now. It was Saturday morning and today Willow and I had appointments with Effie about dresses for the party, she was coming around at midday to sort everything out. A real 'girls-day'. Peeta had some errands to run down at the bakery and then he was leading a father-son baking class, along with Rye.

It was about 6am and I felt Peeta role over onto his side. ''Morning beautiful'', he said in his half-asleep voice, his eyes not even fully open.

''Good morning'', I said smiling at his sleepiness. Like every morning, he stretched out his arm, stroking my face and giving me a kiss. I shuffled up the bed into his arms and we laid there for a while, until it was time to get up. ''Hey, you stay in bed and I'll go make you some breakfast for a change and we can feed the kids whenever they decided to wake up'', I suggested. Peeta was always making breakfast, even on his crutches and I thought I'd repay the favour. He mumbled a quick 'Hmmm', before turning over on his front, stuffing his face in his pillow and falling back asleep.

**

Right. I thought whilst scanning the fridge. I brought out 2 eggs, some milk and some potato bread, which Peeta had made a couple of days ago. I quickly whisked up some scrambled egg batter and poured it into the pan, stirring it around to make sure it didn't stick. Whilst it was cooking through I popped two slices of bread in the toaster. I was just staring out of the window daydreaming when I smelled something burning. At first I didn't respond until I realised. ''The eggs!'', I exclaimed, quickly turning around to see a pan of black cloud-like eggs. I was just about to turn them off when the smoke alarm sounded. Great. Willow must have shot up straight away as she came running down the stairs into the kitchen. When she saw what had happened she started laughing uncontrollably. I quickly turned off the alarm and looked down at Peeta's burnt breakfast.

''And that's why dad always does the cooking mum!'' Willow said, squealing with laughter. When I realised she was right I started laughing too at the mess I'd made.

''Haha oops'', I said, tickling her stomach to make her laugh even more. She started squealing again,

''Muuuuum, stop it! You know I'm ticklish'', she said in between laughing. With all the racket we'd been making I didn't even hear Peeta's crutches making their way down the stairs. He looked at us two, smiled, and then glanced over my shoulder to the burnt pan and started laughing.

''Katniss, what have you done?'', He chuckled, the corner of his mouth pulling up into that ever so perfect smile. ''Oh darling, at least you um'', he started laughing as he spat out a ''tried''.

''Oi you! Stop, it's not that bad'', I looked over to the pan again, ''Ok, maybe it is...but it's the thought that counts!'' I said, still laughing. This was what I loved, all of us happy and laughing without a care in the world. Willow ran over to Peeta once he'd sat down and jumped up on his knee ''Morning daddy'' she said smiling up at him ''Good morning my Princess'', he said ruffling her hair. I looked at them both and smiled, my family was whole again. ''What're you smiling at Missy?'' Peeta asked furrowing his brow into a frown.

''Ah nothing'', I said walking past them both, stroking his shoulder as I went. As I turned into Rye's nursery I looked back around, flicking my hair in a non-serious seductive manner, and receiving a wink back from Peeta.