Finding the Missing Piece: Book 3

Chapter Seventy-Three

Katniss POV- (Two weeks later. June 14th, about 9am)

"Sweetheart, would you like me to make you some breakfast?" Peeta asks me softly.

I open up my heavy-wet eyes and see him standing there with a frown.

I just stare at him, I don't say anything.

He frowns and sits on the bed next to me, "I guess that's a 'no'?" He asks softly.

My expression doesn't change.

"Would you like me to hold you?" Peeta asks me softly.

I nod my head and scoot over in our bed.

He lays next to me in an upright position.

He carefully pulls me to him, canopying me with his head and keeps his lips pressed to my hair and he rubs my arm softly.

I cry into his chest and he doesn't say anything.

I'm not sure if it's because he doesn't know what to say or he knows I don't want to talk about it.

"Just relax." Peeta says softly to me.

'I can't.'

I want to say.

I want to tell him it's impossible for me to calm down, I'll never be calm on this day.

"Peeta, I miss her so much." I cry.

"I know you do and I do too but you gotta stay strong for me." He whispers sadly.

My nostrils fly as I sob harder, "I don't want to be strong." I cry into his chest.

"You don't have to be strong, Katniss. I don't expect you to be but please, just try to not feel so sad." He begs.

"I want to feel okay but I can't, Peeta. She was my little sister."

I sniffle and he squeezes me tighter, "She was mine too, Katniss."

I cry harder at his words.

Peeta and Prim really bonded and every time she's mentioned, I never ask Peeta if he needs to cope.

He always makes sure I'm okay.

I frown and look up, "Do you want to cry too, Peeta?" I ask him softly.

He stares down at me and nods his head.

I close my eyes and exhale deeply as tears stream down his cheeks.

I squeeze him tighter and he squeezes me tightly too.

"Peeta, I miss her so much." I cry into his embrace.

"It's okay, Katniss. I miss her too. It'll be okay." He cries, rubbing some of my wet, sticky hair out of my face.

My lip trembles, "Please, don't cry." I say feeling like my world is tumbling down all over again.

I hate when Peeta cries.

"Katniss, I can't. You are crying and that makes me want to cry a thousand times more and I can't take it." Peeta says pitifully.

I frown and sniffle, my nostrils rapidly flare as more tears burn down my cheeks.

"I don't know what to do. My rock is crying and what am I suppose to do when I'm sad and then the one person who makes you feel better is crying too?" I ask him in a high pitched wail.

Peeta gives me the saddest look ever, "I don't know. I'm sorry but I can't help but to cry."

"Then let's cry. I just want to cry with you, Peeta." I say, maneuvering myself onto his legs. His arms wrap around my waist and I wrap my arms around his neck and he buries his face in my hair and we cry.