Everllark fanfic: Forever & Always

A call from Johanna

In the morning our phone rings, just as the sun peeked over the meadow. Peeta hands me it as I stretch, yawning. "Who is it?" I ask. He hands me it, no reply. "Hello?" I ask awkwardly.

"Katniss!" Her voice sounds sad.

"Johanna!"

"Jack. He went on-patrol to the capitol. He got lost and they can't find him"

Peeta knew. Before handing me the phone. He kept his lips in a firm straight line as I looked at him. A small tear formed.

I reply, it comes out shaken. "I hope they find him, Johanna".

She sighs, long and sad like. She said, completely turning the tale of events "I've heard that Haymitch and Effie are a thing"

"Your kidding" I said flatly.

"Nope" she said matter of factly.

"Wow" I breathe.

"I knew there was something between them" I continue.

"I did to, Katniss. I did to" she said. And she doesn't speak for a few seconds. The silence is filled with her small breathing. She breaks the silence.

"I'm going to help"

Silence. My silence.

I break it "Johanna. Don't. Your pregnant you can't risk anything".

She sighs, again. Long and shallow. "Katniss you can't stop me". Now it's my turn to sigh. I sigh.

"Alright Johanna be careful" I reply.

"Bye, Katniss"

"Bye"

I hand the phone to Peeta, he takes it and leaves to place it back. Ivy comes in with a happy gallop. Her eyes glitter with joy. "Can we go to the meadow?" she asks sweetly. "Of course. Let me get ready" I said.

Today the sun was peeking through the clouds. Not all the way out. The air is crisp and cold. Not the cold that makes your fingers numb. But the cold that makes you shiver. Peeta suggested hide and seek.

"1.......2........3" Peeta counted to ten. "Ten! Here we come!" he shouted. His voice echoed around smooth, galloping over the honey silky hills. Back to my ears. Peeta and I searched along the edge of the forest. The right side. Ivy usually hid behind the thick pine trees. But we didn't find her. I became worried. Evan was the one who popped out with a boo! He always scared me. Peeta was used to it. "Ivy, come out!" I shout. Peeta gives me a quick glance, pointing down. "I saw her!" he said.There must be something that made her go. There must be something down that made her go.Without thinking I go down the hill. The direction where my bow is. I grab it, just in-case. And jog down, bow and arrow ready to shoot. I keep jogging, until I run into Peeta. "Peeta! Where is she?" I ask quickly. I'm not losing her. I won't, I think. I won't. Peeta runs. And I hear steps ahead of us. "Ivy!" I yell. I see her brown hair. Peeta rushes forward, he disappears and for a split second my heart skips a beat. "Mom! Deer!" Ivy yells. I see it galloping, much like in midair. Jumping over logs. I raise my bow, pull back, close one eye, take a deep breath, and shoot. I hit the deer, in it's neck. It whines, loud and filled with agony. For a moment I step back. Ivy runs to it. "Mom! I want to learn how to do that!" she said, jumping up and down. Peeta gives me a look. I yank the arrow out of it's neck, clean it off of the grass and put it in my quiver. I shake my head. "Maybe another day" I said. "How are we going to get it up, Katniss?" Peeta questions. "I don't know" I said. I look at it. It must be one hundred pounds. A white tailed deer. A female. "What species?" she asks. "Wow you must of learned vocabulary recently?" Peeta said, amused. I smile. "A white tailed deer, it's a girl" I reply. She frowns. "A girl?" she said, sad. I nod. "We'll just have to leave it" I suggest. Peeta shrugs. Ivy kneels down. She strokes it's body. "Mom. Just leave it" she said, her voice shaky. I shake my head sadly thinking: I shouldn't of killed it.