Everllark fanfic: Forever & Always

Fire & Rage

"Peeta and I grow back together. There are still moments when he clutches the back of a chair and hangs on until the flashbacks are over. I wake screaming from nightmares of mutts and lost children. But his arms are there to comfort me. And eventually his lips. On the night I feel that thing again, the hunger that overtook me on the beach, I know this would have happened anyway. That what I need to survive is not Gale's fire, kindled with rage and hatred. I have plenty of fire myself. What I need is the dandelion in the spring. The bright yellow that means rebirth instead of destruction. The promise that life can go on, no matter how bad our losses. That it can be good again. And only Peeta can give me that. So after, when he whispers, "You love me. Real or not real?" I tell him, "Real."

15 years after

Peeta?" I ask as I move towards his shaking body. He jerks awake sweat has formed on his forehead and I wipe it away gently. "Just a nightmare Katniss, are the kids alright?" he asks struggling to sit up, breathing heavily "Yea," I say softly. He must have had a really bad nightmare. He's sweating, startled, and unstable. I look back at the blond haired boy and the dark brown haired girl snuggled up together on the twin bed, their hair wisps from the cold air coming through the window Peeta has opened. He always sleeps with the windows opened.Our children will soon go into their room, once Peeta is done painting it. The cold air hits me, awakening my nerves. My piece of mind. The fire that rages on in the fireplace is glowing so bright and bringing warmth to me but also darkness. Fire always reminds of dark cold memories. The girl on fire! As I sleep the nightmares come, I wake screaming till my throat starts to become raw. Mutts, tracker jackers, Gale, Prim, Peeta being taken away, Peeta choking me, monkeys tearing at my flesh, children burning, the games. The kids would usually wake up but now they are used to it. After a few years, they realize Mommy and Daddy are okay.But Peeta will never get used to it his arms are always there to comfort me, protect me. Then eventually his lips to please me, to make me forget. "Always"

I would not be able to mend our children alone, Peeta gives me the strength he gives me pure happiness. The meadow with the dandelions reminds me of that. Our kids play in the meadow each day I tell Peeta they play on a graveyard but he said it's okay. And I pass that away forgetting about what they are on. If Peeta was not there it would cloud back the memories, everything. And no one cannot give me that not even, Gale. Gale, my mind stirs with hatred, Prim. He killed her and I am going to make him so sorry. And so hurt just like I am. He is in the 'fancy' District 2 deserted me, probably kissing some other girls lips and I'm glad it's not mine. Handsome man like he is I should kill that girl for payback but that's not even near to pay back.

The morning is great, Peeta is always painting. He has been painting for months its a painting of our kids in the meadow skipping around, picking dandelions and me and him laying back on each other. I give him his tea, with no sugar. I Lay my hand upon his shoulder. "I love it," I say. He smiles his handsome smile I love. I could never get enough of him. His gentle strokes of the brush, his nimble fingers, creating a wonderful masterpiece of art. I kiss his cheek gently stroking his hair, the kids run in giggling, with wide grins. "MOM!" Evan blond haired Peeta hair says with Ivy with my hair behind in a sloppy braid of her own. "What?" I say as Peeta strokes the painted canvas on a dandelions stem. Peeta turns around. "Look what Ivy did!" he says pointing to her braid. "Oh wow, Ivy it's-beautiful!" I say. "I want to be just like you," she says and the words stick to my head. Peeta takes my fumbling hands remembering the dream I had on the train. The memories fade as Peeta strokes my back gently. "Ivy...." I say but I don't know what to say.

The kids know we were in the games she, well they know that I am skilled with a bow they seemed very proud that their mother could do such a thing. And now-i wish I have not told them that but I had to they learn about it at school. But only bits what dates they were, what they were when they turn fifteen they learn every bit of the games.Today is a school day. I get them ready Ivy the oldest and Evan the youngest just a year behind both put their clothes on at age six and five. I smile at them knowing that these are mine, and Peeta's. When I first felt them string inside I was terrified but it's better to see them now; when they are alive.My precious children. I take out Ivy's braid and braid it in a better one after grooming through multiple naughts. Everyone at school hangs around her. She is the star. My Star.Since she is the daughter of The girl on fire. I'm in a history book and in class pictures of me. Information who my cousins are my father my mother, the tragic death of both my sister and father. My best friend my skills, how I got out. Older kids, teens are watching all of the games this week. My kids soon enough are going to have to watch us, in all of the games. Evan also is a star, son of Peeta and me. Son of a painter and baker. The boy with the bread. Peeta is also talked about at school same information, followed.