Finding the Missing Piece: Book 3

Chapter Nintey-One

Katniss POV- (That night, hotel)

Peeta and I came to the hotel a few hours ago, after having dinner with Bristol's parents, Bristol, and Carter.

I took a quick shower while Peeta laid in bed, exhausted from today.

I exit out into the cool air of the hotel room in a white towel and get dressed into my bra and panties.

I look over and decide maybe now I should ask.

"Peeta, what would you think about moving here?" I ask, sitting down on the edge of the bed.

I know it's a big change and a big decision but I ask anyways.

He brings his face out of the pillow and looks up, "Katniss, I don't want to argue with you but I don't think it's a good idea." Peeta says.

I shrug, "Even her mother said she couldn't take care of them forever." I say, knowing that he will understand exactly what I mean.

Peeta sighs deeply, letting his head hang between his shoulders.

"Katniss, I'm sure that her parents will still watch Carter or whatever after she starts working."

"But what if they don't?" I ask.

"Then she will have to go to a daycare. I don't know, just don't make any decisions or get any ideas. You heard her, she's giving it till the end of the summer."

"And what if she stays here?"

"Then fine. It's none of our business, Katniss."

"Peeta, she's my best friend. It's my business." I say defensively.

He pulls his head back up but doesn't make any eye contact with me, "I thought I was your best friend, Katniss? What about me?"

I frown and roll my eyes, "You are my best friend, Peeta. Just in a different way. What happened to anywhere I go, you go?"

"Katniss, I don't know why you are wanting to move here. There's nothing for us."

"Carter is here and so is Bristol." I push, getting really annoyed.

I can tell he's trying to be patient, especially since we haven't fought in a while.

"Okay, but that's different. Their family is here. We need to worry about us, Katniss. What are we gonna do about a house?"

"We could find an apartment."

"And apartments cost money-which we don't have."

"We have money, Peeta."

He sits up, "Yeah? Well, money runs out. We have a perfectly nice house in Twelve. Where we both wanted to come back to and live last October."

I shake my head and stare at the door, not knowing what I want, really.

I want to be near Bristol and Carter, to help them but I want to live in Twelve with Peeta. Peeta and I are suppose to be there together, starting our life-I know that.

"I know that but maybe I don't like it." I throw out.

"What don't you like?" Peeta says, narrowing his eyes at me. He thinks I mean him or where we are living or how.

I groan, "I don't know."

"We can't just up and leave when you get tired of a place."

I shake my head, "That's not what I want but I've lived in that house for 19 years."

"And if I can help it we are going to be living there for the rest of our lives. When I die, you can leave."

I roll my eyes, not wanting to think about that.

"Peeta, I don't know what I want. I love the life we have but I have this weird instinct to just protect both of them and you. It's hard protecting them when they are 4 hours away."

He frowns, "I know it is and I know you just wanna protect everyone, Katniss but you can't always be there. Besides, she said she's thinking about moving back by the end of the summer."

"I know I can't protect everyone but I want to try." I admit.

"I know you but just think about this. Please?"

I shrug, I know I want Peeta to be safe, no matter the cost.

I close my eyes and take a deep breath.

"Katniss, I'm sorry to tell you 'no' but think about it. Neither of us work and sure, we could change that but we don't have to yet. We have a nice, big house that is completely ours with furniture and everything. Say we rent a place, we eventually run out of money and then what? Our luck everything would be going great and then we would run out of money and be on the streets or something."

"Then we'd get a job."

"Katniss, it doesn't just work like that. I worked since I was about 13 for money. That's like 7 years worth of money. We will eventually run out whether we like it or not. And what about your house?"

"What about my house? It's a house full of a lot of sad memories. We would sell it."

"That's our first house, Katniss. It's a house full of firsts for the Everdeens."

"But I want a house of firsts for the Mellarks. Peeta and Katniss Mellark."

"It's too late for that. We had firsts in it already, it's too late to start new. It's a house that Prim came home to and you too and it's a house that I want a lot more firsts in."

I frown, "What do you mean?"

"I mean, we had our first kiss in my bedroom. I would be devastated if anything ever happened to my bedroom. A place where we shared something special. What about your house? We came home to that house after our wedding and we had lost our virginity in that house. We've shared a million kisses and holidays and I want us to bring home our first child to that house."

"Maybe I want to have a new place, Peeta. New memories." I start, standing up and facing him.

He takes my hands, "We can never get back the first times and we can't go back and come home from our wedding to a new house. That was one of the happiest days of my life and we won't get to have it again. We already started making memories in that house. And you and I can't live in an apartment forever. We are adults now and we have it so easy."

I sigh deeply and he pulls me to him, wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling me to him, kissing the bare skin of my rib cage. I wrap my arms around his head, running out of fuel for my fire.

"Okay." I say, letting it go.

"Okay?" He asks, looking up at me.

"We will stay in Twelve, in our house. I guess, I want that too..." I admit, thinking about how true everything Peeta said was.

He and I will never ever be able to have our firsts of anything in another house.

We will never be virgins again and he and I had our first Christmas as a couple there and Thanksgivings too. My dad and my mother brought both Prim and I home from the hospital and if I remember correctly it was their first home too. There's so many memories of Prim and my dad and even Peeta that I couldn't bare to give it up, even if that's what I thought I wanted.

He attentively pulls me to him, kissing my rib cage and I mess up his blond hair.

"I'm sorry I told you 'no'." He says.

"It's okay. I'm sorry I was jumping on stupid ideas, I just really miss Bristol and Carter and I want to help her."

"I promise you, she will come back to Twelve. If she doesn't, I'll be really really surprised."

I nod my head.

"It'll all work out, I promise. Just be patient." He whispers to me, I break his grip on my arms and sit down next to him.

"I love you." I say, kissing his cheek, which makes him smile.

"And I love you too."

I think it's one of the first discussions we have had that didn't end with one of us crying and angry. We finally settled something without yelling and that makes me feel accomplished.