The Aftermath(a post-mockingjay story)

Chapter 2

Peeta POV

She said real!!!!! She loves me!! I knew she did, but shes never said it. I understand why. Shes never been able to trust many people after her fathers death. I pick her up and carry her to the bedroom. Slowly, I set her down, pull up the blankets, and kiss her cheek. She looks so peaceful, like a flower that survived a hurricane. In our case, the hurricane is me. I go around to the other side of the bed and lay down next to her, wrapping my arms protectively around her.

I start to dose off when I jolt awake. I forgot about Haymitch. Oh well, Effie has been taking care of him. They are dating now. I mean, we could all see it coming.

----------------------------------------------------Who saw it coming? I did! Now back to your regularly scheduled programming!

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I fall back to sleep, knowing everyone here in district 12 is ok.

Katniss POV

I wake up and find myself in bed, with Peetas arms around me. The clock says 2:00 am. Im starving so I go down to the kitchen and find a late night snack. Good thing Peeta brought home some cookies and cheese buns the other night, because theres not much else in the cupboard. After my snack, I crawl back in bed facing Peeta. I remember just a few hours ago that I said I loved him. He has a smile on his face now. That means hes probably dreaming about me, us. I slowly plant a kiss on his lips as he starts to frown. I dont like to see him like this. His eyes flutter open.

"Why'd you wake me up? Are you ok?"

"Im fine, but you didn't look ok. You were frowning and tossing and turning. I thought you were having a nightmare or some thing."

"I was. Thank you for getting me up, I couldn't do it myself."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Peeta's Dream____________________

Katniss and I are in the meadow. She is fixing her hair, while I secretly pick her a bouquet of wild flowers. Only the prettiest for her. I sneak up behind her, wrap my arms around her waist, and kiss her cheek. She turns around and kisses me back. Her lips are warm and soft and...perfect. We sit down on a picnic blanket side by side, with candles surrounding it. Everything looked magical. It was time. I was finally going to ask Katniss to marry me. It all seemed like the perfect time. We gaze into each others eyes for what seems like an eternity. Then I hear the faint sound of hovercrafts. They had bad timing! I jump, as a pack of at least 20 mutts come ripping through the fence. I thought it was to be electrified at all times now. Guess not.

"Katniss!!! Run!!!" Is all I can say.

"Ppeeeeeettttaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!" This is the last thing I will ever hear from the love of my life ever again. Before she even gets up to run, the mutts attack her. She is screaming, blood is splattered all over me, as Im only 5 feet away. Before I register anything that just happened, a spear comes out of nowhere, plunging into Katniss' stomach, and lifts her corpse away. Boom! There goes a cannon. None of it makes sense. We are not in the Games, so why is there a cannon? Another spear comes out of the sky, about the skewer me too. It is inches from my face, when I am woken up.

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Katniss POV

"Wow." is all that escapes my mouth as I think about the most disturbing dream Peeta's ever told me. Its sad he still cant control his dreams. "Do you want to try going back to sleep?"

"No. Thats where I know you're not. I cant have that. I need you. Here, now."

"Me too. Ill never leave you. I love you, Peeta. I hope you know that."

"I do, and I love you too."

He rolls me over so that I'm on top of him. He kisses the tip of my nose. Excitement rushes through me.

"I wish I could freeze this moment and live in it forever." He says.

"Thats what you told me on the roof of the training center, right before the Quarter Quell." I say back.

"I know, and I mean it. No matter how many times I say it." We sit in silence for a while. Its nice. Im still on top of him, listening to his rhythmic heartbeat.

Peeta POV

I think Im going to do it. Now is the right time. I have prepared for this moment for as long as I can remember. Maybe when I first laid eyes on her. I slowly take a box out of my pocket. This is it. Its do or die time.

"Katniss? I have to ask you something extremely important."

She looks at me. "Yes?"