MidnightSnow1's Oneshots

The Reason Why

Calla Mellark heard Peeta Mellark calming his wife after experiencing a nightmare and gets curious. Peeta must explain to their 6 year old about the Hunger Games and why her mother wakes up screaming nearly every night.

----------------------------

Peeta's POV:

Katniss sobs echo through the dark bedroom.
"Hey, I'm here. I'm going to stay with you. I always have, haven't I?" I coo to Katniss and she nods against my chest.

As her sobs continue, I pull Katniss onto my lap with effort and her arms brush up my chest and around my neck. She moves her head into the crook of my neck and I go to kiss her temple, where she enjoys it.

I frown but something in the corner of my eye causes a disruption to the dark world. I turn my head to see my 6 year old peeking her head from the side of the doorway with a curious expression.

"Are you alright Calla?" I ask and she slowly nods. She steps into full view and slowly and cautiously walks towards the bed edge.

"Yes. I heard Mummy screaming and crying from my room and I wanted to see if she was okay?" Calla comments and I sadly smile.

"She okay Calla, just a bad dream. Why don't you come over here and help me make Mummy happy again?" I suggest, ignoring how early it is. She nods and climbs up to sit beside me.

Katniss stops her sobs slowly and lifts her head to look at Calla. "Hello Calla." She croaks and reaches her hand for Calla's. Calla happily takes it. Katniss smiles at the gesture.

"Daddy?"

"Yes Calla?"

"Why does Mummy get bad dreams?" Katniss gasps and stiffens in my embrace.

Shocked becomes my emotion. Complete shock.

I rub Katniss' back when I get the realisation of reality. "Y-your mother and I have had a very bad past. When we were teenagers."

"Peeta-" Katniss starts but I interrupt her, we need her to know.

"There was this event called The Hunger Games. They were very bad. 24 people were put in a place and had to kill each other. Only one person lived." Calla gasps and Katniss grips onto my hand.

"One year, Mummy and I both had to go into the Hunger Games. But we both lived because we loved each other. Then there was a war. Mummy was the leader of it." I turn to Katniss and see tears forming in her eyes.

"Did Mummy win?" Calla asks and I nod my head.

"Yes and she stopped The Hunger Games from happening, ever again." I answer but she looks like she wants to make sure.

"It's not going to happen ever again?"

"Never going to happen again." I reply and pause before adding. "Mummy screams at night because she gets bad dreams about it."

"Oh. Poor Mummy and Daddy." Calla exclaims and puts both of us into her arms.

I sadly smile and let some tears fall.

Katniss and I know though, more detail of our horrific past is to be processed and planted into her brain.

As her life progresses on.