The Aftermath(a post-mockingjay story)

Chapter 1

Katniss POV

"Hi," I return. "How long have you been up?"

"I got up at about 7:00 to go to the bakery for a second, so about 2 hours."

Crap. I forgot to tell him where I was going. Luckily he assumed I was hunting again. And also I was out for four hours. Thats a little long for me, but oh well.

"You want some pancakes? I just made some." he says.

"Sure!" As my knife slowly cuts into the steaming pile of pancakes, I notice something. Rue. Primrose. All together arranged in a vase. All of a sudden I burst out sobbing and run into the bedroom. Peeta follows me in. For about twenty minutes we just sit there. Not saying a word, while I cry out my stress and feelings.

"Katniss, what's wrong? Ive been worried about you these past few days."

He's right. I have been drifting a little bit. I miss my mother who stayed on district 13. I miss Prim, Rue, Finnick, Madge, Gale, and Peeta's usual self. Ever since his hijacking, hes been having violent outbursts about nothing.

I hide in the bedroom like always, with the door locked. Its all directed at me. He still remembers the bad thoughts and memories the Capitol put in his brain. Once he hit me so hard, I had to go to Hazelle for help, because it impact made my shoulder bruise immediately. He didnt mean it. He never does. I know he never would ever purposely try to hurt me. Yet, he still believes this is all his fault. But its the Capitol. They messed with him, which messes with me. But his outbursts only happen about once a month. After hes all calmed down, he quietly tells me to open the door. I installed a little peep hole only people on the inside can see out of. One of Beetee's inventions. I tell him to put his eye to it. If I see they are their usual beautiful blue, I open the door. If not, I cant say a word to him. When I finally am able to open the door, he comes in and pours his heart out to me about how sorry he is and how much he loves me, no matter what our circumstance.

"Nothing. Nothing is wrong. Im totally fine." is all I manage to say before he starts to tear up too.

"Look, Katniss. You know I love you so much. You can trust me with anything. I will never judge you, or laugh at you, or ever tell a living soul any of your secrets. I promise." At this point, hes crying too.

"Fine, Ill tell you. Its just, its about the time the Games would be on. Right now. All I can think about how...I caused all this. I cost hundreds of people their lives, I technically blew up Panem myself. But most of all, I hurt you. You were hijacked. Its all my fault."

Suddenly, his grasp on me tightens. He says nothing. Then the thing I most fear. His hands slide up my side and head straight for my neck. There he goes again. My adrenaline is rushing, and luckily for a split second Im stronger than him. I slide from his reach, escape the living room, and make a beeline for the bedroom. Outside I hear things crashing on the floor, being thrown at the walls, being thrown out the window. Next I hear glass hitting the wall. The only glass thing we have is a vase. I know what he broke. My only connection to my sister and a girl just like her. My flowers. What scares me most is that even though he may come across as a madman during his moments, I still love him. Ive never said it when he does, but he knows I feel the same way.

I hear a knock at the front door. Oh god. Who will drag themselves into one of Peeta's outbursts this time?

"What the hell in going on boy!? Wheres Katniss? What the hell are you doing?!?" Haymitch. He sounds drunk. He should not have mentioned my name. Now I know Peeta will come after me. But to my surprise, I hear a calm voice coming from, Peeta?

"She hid in the bedroom again. It happened. God!!! I hate myself when this happens! Look at what a mess I made! Im soooo sorry Haymitch. Ill go get her." His footsteps echo through the empty hallway. "Katniss? Honey, are you in there? Are you ok?"

"Yes. Put your eye up to the peep hole."

Peeta POV

I put my eye up to the small hole on the door and hear Katniss' now steady breathing. The door opens and I slowly walk inside to comfort her. I give her a long, passionate kiss, and hold her until we stop crying enough to talk. "Im so,so,so,so, sorry. I didnt know what overcame me. I think you mentioning the 'you know what' wasnt the best idea." I hear her muffled sobs as she digs her nose into my chest. "Its not your fault. You dont know how much I love you. No words can express what I feel about you, ever."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Im sorry too. I should have known. But, whats done is done. No one got hurt...this time."

I feel a ping of guilt in my throat. I remember the time I hurt her. It was the only time I did, but still haunts me. "Lets go clean up." I suggest.

When every little thing is back where it was, we snuggle up on the couch. I can feel Katniss drifting off to sleep, but before she does, I say,"You love me, real or not real?"

She says,"Real,"

-----------------------A.N.------------------------

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