Finding the Missing Piece: Book 3

Chapter Eighty-Two

Katniss POV-

"You look exhausted. How about you go on back to bed?" Peeta tells me after awhile, breaking away from our long hug.

"Come with me this time." I mumble against his collar bone.

"What?"

"I want you to come to bed with me, Peeta."

"Katniss, you don't have to-" I cut him off, putting my hand on his warm chest.

I take a deep breath.

"I want you to." I say truthfully.

Plus, I know we both need a good nights rest.

"Alright." He says, I can tell by his tone of voice that he's holding back a joyful grin, but so am I.

Together, we walk back inside, sneaking up the dark staircase as if we were about to be caught by our suspicious parents.

When we get to our bedroom, things are kind of awkward, as to be expected.

I flip the lights on, so that we can see and decide how weird we are going to make this.

"Um, let's just do things like normal." I say to him as I get into bed.

He flips the light out, laying down too and he faces me, swallowing before saying, "Do you want me to hold you?"

I nod my head.

"Just like normal, please." I mumble, scooting closer to him and he scoots closer too.

I lay my head on his chest as takes my hand like he always does and places it on his abdomen, his hand canopying mine.

We lay there, dead silent for about thirty-seconds before I speak up, "You have to kiss me and tell me you love me." I remind him, but before he can respond I flip over onto my tummy, not wanting just a kiss on the top of the head but a real kiss so I lean down and kiss him right on the mouth.

It's the first kiss we've share in over two days, it's short and sweet.

I break away a second later, "Goodnight, Peeta. I love you." I say first, getting back into the same position as before.

His heart races and his breath is held, "I love you too." Peeta murmurs.

(The next day, around 3pm)

"I think that the first thing I really noticed that I liked about you were your facial expressions. When Effie told you the first day junior year that you'd be assisting the new kids, you gave her a look like she'd she asked you to strip for the class." Peeta informs me with a laugh.

I give him a look and he chuckles, "See." He says.

I allow myself to laugh too, "I think the first thing I fell in love with about you was your determination. Even after I had treated you poorly."

He chuckles and looks away at another empty table, "It's like I couldn't keep myself away from you. I just felt I needed to keep trying. I don't know what it was, really."

I smile softly, "Well, I'm glad you didn't stop."

"And I'm glad you finally wanted to be friends."

"Best friends." I add.

He chuckles and nods, "Yes. Best friends within the first week."

"I think the first time I remember knowing I loved you for a fact was the night of the sleepover. Maybe a couple of days before but it really became clear that night."

I close my eyes and think back to that amazing night, the night I may have fallen for him too.

"I don't know when I actually realized it for sure. Maybe that night or a while before then or maybe it was not as clear until you left." I shrug.

"I'm still sorry about that." He frowns.

"Don't be. It was like three years ago." I say.

Peeta shrugs, "So, I was thinking soon, we go out to the ranch. Go to the rock pit too."

I smile, "I would love it and I bet it's beautiful out there right now." I say excited.

We haven't been out there in forever it seems.

"I bet so."

"So, tomorrow at counseling, what do we do?" I ask him softly, at a stand still.

"I guess we just tell her we've kind of worked out that situation but there's other things she can help us with, I'm sure." Peeta says and I agree.

"Maybe we could ask her to help with our date life." I chuckle and he does too.

"Yeah, I'm sure she could give us some ideas of things to do." He says.

"Or she could help us learn to heal with our pasts."

"I hope. I really want her to help me with my anger issues."

I shake my head, "You don't have anger issues, Peeta."

"Katniss, I've lost my temper so many times."

"Twice, maybe. It's not your fault. If I wasn't so difficult."

"But the times I have lashed out were over stupid things."

I shrug, "Well, most of our fighting is over stupid things."

"True but I still want help, for us both." Peeta assures me and I know he's doing it more for me than himself.

"Do you want to go home and bake or look at some old stuff? I think it would help."

"Yeah, that sounds good." He says and we leave the empty diner.

We go home and look at our photo album.

It takes me back to high school, even if it wasn't so long ago.

Pizza night at the sleepover.

Our junior prom.

Pre-engagement.

Senior prom.

Graduation.

Our first home and before college.

Our engagement in District 5 and our college days too.

Carter's birth and everything leading up to our wedding.

And boy, do we have something special.