Reuniting Our Lives

Going Back Home

All I've done for the past four days is stay at the house by the lake and hunt a little bit. I tried to think about everything that was going on at home with Finnick being alive, and secretly how much I wanted Peeta to propose. I had to suppress that and try to focus on forgetting my old and dreamt up life and try to wrap my head around the idea that Finnick actually was alive. I had just started to get over and accept that he wasn't alive like he was just before I woke up.

I heard twigs and leaves snapping outside the single room house and heard yells of my name off in the distance. That's right, I was supposed to be gone for three days, not four.

"Katniss!"

I stayed put in the shack by the lake, staying warm by the small embers that were still burning in the fireplace. It began to rain, and Peeta's calls of my name grew louder and more desperate as his steps got louder and more rapid. I was afraid that he would run too fast and trip over tree roots with his amputated leg, which would force him to stay on the ground recovering for at least five minutes.

His footsteps had finally reached the entrance of the shelter and when he saw me laying by the fire, I think he thought I was unconscious or dead. That paired with the fact that I was gone for longer than I said I would be.

"Katniss," Peeta said softly and with such desperation that I had to drag myself out of my void thoughts. I turned around to meet his face, and worry was flooded with relief. "You said you were coming out into the woods for three days. It's been four and I was so worried that something had happened to you!" I was engulfed in Peeta's arms, and wrapped mine tightly around his. After having little contact with anyone other than Buttercup these past four days, feeling any human contact is welcome, especially from Peeta.

"I'm sorry, I lost track of time while I was out here, and there was more to think about than I thought." I pulled away from Peeta's embrace and he gazed at my face. Tears welled up in his eyes, and I had no idea why.

"Have you been sleeping at all out here?" Peeta asked. I must have a confused look, because he goes on to clarify. "You have dark circles under your eyes and they're puffy like you've been crying." I hadn't known that my lack of sleep could show that quickly. I shook my head and felt my eyelids become heavier. I began to fall asleep before Peeta said, "I don't know how to get out of the woods from here, but once we find something familiar to me, I'll let you sleep." He slowly begins to pick me up in his arms, shifting my weight every once in a while to keep me from falling asleep, and to make carrying me more comfortable for him.

When we reach the Meadow and see the fence line, I allow myself to drift off into sleep, waking up to feeling the front door of one of our houses open, and being gently laid down on a bed, where I quickly fall asleep, completely oblivious to the world around me, and not worrying about everything going on. No longer having that endless line of thoughts running through my mind keeping me awake for days on end.

A/N: I JUST SAW A KID WITH A CAMP PRIMROSE SHIRT AND DIED A BIT INSIDE! And Denver is pretty cool. But shady... But a 5-mile hike in high elevation was fun to see how close to dying I could get without dying. Sorry it's short, but it's another chapter.