Always

Chapter 15

Katniss P.O.V.

I don't know how long I've been out, the last thing I remember is Peeta begging me to stay with him. When I look up, I see Mom clutching my hand, crying and whispering things to me. I'm too tired to respond, so I choose to listen to her.

"Katniss," she says. "I don't know if you can hear me or not, but I just wanted you to know that I'm sorry for not being the mom that I should have been. The one that you and Prim deserved. Me and your father had been together for so long, I didn't know how to cope with everything. When I saw that you and Prim were suffering, I wasn't thinking straight and had decided that I'd rather stay in my own little world than watch you two grieve. It never dawned on me that I was only hurting you two. I'm sorry that instead of staying with you after Prim died, I ran away to District 4. Again, I was only thinking of myself and how hurt I was that I had lost a child. I wish I could say that you've never had to experience that, but unfortunately, I can't. I don't know what I'll do if I loose you. I love you," she whispers. I gently squeeze her hand in response. "Katniss?" She asks unsure.

"Mom," I mutter. She gently wraps her arms around me. "I love you too," I whisper. "How long have I been out?" I ask weakly as Mom pulls away.

"About an hour," she replies.

"Where's Peeta?" I ask as I realize he's not in the room.

"He was shot," Mom begins to say, but I cut her off.

"Shot?" I say frantically. "Is he okay?" I ask as tears start swelling up in my eyes.

"He's fine," Mom says reassuringly. "He got shot in his foot. He passed out from the loss of blood, but he's okay now. He's in one of the other bedrooms on morphling."

"Okay," I say as I try to calm myself down. "And where's Gale?" I ask.

"He went to check for more Peacekeepers in the other houses," Mom replies.

"Oh," is all I can think to say. In a few minutes, we hear a knock at the front door.

"I'll be right back," Mom says as she disappears to go answer the door. Not long after she's gone, I hear heavy footsteps coming down the hallway towards my room.

"Katniss," Peeta says drowsily as he appears at my door.

"Peeta," I say as I sit up. "You should be in bed," I say. He walks over to me and lays down next to me.

"I am," he replies as he wraps his arm around me and pulls me in close. "Are you okay?" He whispers.

"Yeah," I reply as I lean my head over on his chest. "Are you?" I ask as I look up at him.

"I am now," Peeta says as he kisses me. When Mom comes back up to my room, she looks at me and Peeta and smiles.

"Couldn't stay away?" Mom asks Peeta.

"Not from her," Peeta says as he kisses the top of my head. I look up at him and smile.

"Who was at the door?" I ask Mom.

"It was Haymitch," she replies. "He came over to check on you two. He said that when the Peacekeepers came into his house and ignored him, he immediately knew that they were looking for you two. He said that when they left, he went to check on you and got worried when you weren't at your house. That's why he came over here shortly after."

"Where is he now?" I ask.

"He went home when I told him that you two were resting," Mom replies.

"Okay," I say.

"I'll leave you two alone for a little while," Mom says as she leaves the room and shuts the door behind her. The second the door shuts, I let out all the grief that I've been holding in. Peeta pulls me in so close that I don't think we could possibly get any closer. I slowly turn over on my side to face him and bury my head into his chest.