Always: After Mockingjay (Everlark Fanfiction)

Part I Chapter I

"Part I - Before Katniss Says "Real" (so this takes place during Chapter 27)

Note: I'm not sure what season it would actually be if this were in the book, but I'm going to say it's Spring.

--Katniss' POV--

I wake screaming from a nightmare. Light shines in through the windows, and it's no use trying to go back to sleep now. because it's already morning and because I would just be woken up by another nightmare.

I slip on my slippers and walk downstairs. It's 7:02am and District 12 is already chattering with excitement outside. It looks as if they are rebuilding it, but better. Now that President Paylor is our President, Panem is an amazing place. There are no more starving families and we are no longer poor. Every District is equal, and the Districts are equal to the Capitol. But I haven't been outside much, still grieving over Prim.

I sit down on the couch. There is a knock on the door, and it's probably Greasy Sae.

"Come in!" The door opens, and I turn when I realize that it definitely isn't Greasy Sae because the smell of fresh bread is lingering. It's Peeta. We work on the book a lot together. We started the book about a week ago, and every day since then he's been here at 10 o'clock to work on it with me. "You're here early," I said, smiling. I'm glad he's here.

"I knew you'd be up, you're always up early," he says. "I thought I'd make you breakfast." He hands me the bread.

"Thank you. Would you like some?"

"Sure, thank you," he says. We walk to the kitchen table and I split the bread in half and we each take a half. His blond hair and blue eyes look exactly like himself. I know he's been getting better, but is it possible that he could make a full recovery? I hope so. I want the Boy with the Bread back. That day on the beach, that hunger that overtook me, must have been love. I know I'm in love with Peeta, but I'm afraid to tell him that because what if he no longer feels the same way after the hijacking?

After I've taken my first bite of bread, I say, "How do you feel?"

"I'm better. I think the hijacking has gone away almost completely. I only get flashbacks every once in a while. How are you?"

"I'm --" I'm starting to answer, but my eyes catch his eyes, and I feel frozen in place. Once again the hunger is overtaking me. I know it's a huge risk because what if the hijacking made him forget he loves me? but I press my lips to his and kiss him. I'm scared that the hijacking made him forget he loves me, but I'm reassured when he starts kissing me back. Our first kiss since the Quell. We stay like this for about ten seconds, just kissing, and the hunger I felt that day on the beach is back again, stronger than ever before. Our foreheads are pressed together, and I'm staring into his gorgeous blue eyes. "I've missed you," I half - whisper, but loud enough for him to hear it. I'm once again nervous that he doesn't love me anymore, but a huge smile spreads across his face.

"I've missed you, too," he replies. And the hunger overtakes me and I lean in again, kissing more passionately this time, no longer worried that he doesn't feel the same way because the look on his face told me he still is in love with me. When we stop kissing, I'm gasping for air but still staring into his eyes, mesmerized. After ten seconds of just staring into each other's eyes, the door burst open. Haymitch.

"Woah, woah, woah, what did I miss?" Haymitch asks, obviously laughing. But he doesn't sound drunk. He sounds sober, actually. Peeta and I look at him, just smiling, and I'm too happy to say anything. I know that Haymitch is happy, too, because he must know that we kissed, and us kissing means that Peeta has beat his hijacking. "Did you guys kiss?" he asks.

I smile even more and just shake my head yes, unable to speak. Haymitch smiles, too. "I'm happy for you guys," he says. "Really."

"You kind of interrupted, actually," I say, finding my words.