Finding the Missing Piece: Book 5

Chapter Ninety-Three

Katniss POV- (Later that afternoon)

"Oh." Carter says, immediately breaking down into tears.

My heart breaks and she gets up and walks over to Peeta and I, hugging us both.

"I'm so sorry, sweetheart." Peeta says, crying and hugs her tightly.

I've never seen her so upset in her life.

She climbs into his lap and cries into his shoulder.

Bristol gets up and tries to comfort her but she refuses it.

The only person she wants is Peeta and I had a feeling that would be the case.

"Now I will never get to meet my real dad." She cries.

I look at Peeta and see he's just as heartbroken as Bristol and I are.

She's is crying hysterically and I feel like it too but I can't.

I get up and wrap my arms around Bristol and hold her close to me.

"I wanted to tell him that I still loved him even though he didn't love me." Carter tells Peeta in a sob.

I glance over and he frowns, looking hopeless.

"Sweetheart, he loved you very much and he didn't leave because he didn't love you." Peeta tells her truthfully.

"He left cause he didn't want me." She says.

Bristol cries harder at the words that Carter seems to have all figured out.

"He did too want you. I promise you that he loved you and the reason he left was so that your mom could meet Blake and he could be your dad." Peeta says.

"But he doesn't love me either he only loves my sister." She says kind of angrily. 

None of us know how to react to it.

Peeta and I have had our suspicions of it and so has Bristol but for Carter to actually feel that way hurts.

"How come my real dad let him be my dad instead?" Carter asks Peeta.

Peeta starts, stumbling with his words and then stops.

She cries and cries into his chest, eventually she is mostly silent, except for her choppy breaths.

"Carter?"

Bristol gets up and goes to the bathroom and I'm left there with Peeta and Carter.

She brings up her head and looks at Peeta.

He wipes her eyes and pushes back her brown hair. 

"Your real dad loved you very very much. He couldn't take care of you or your mom the way he wanted so that's why he left. It wasn't because of you so don't you ever feel that way. Blake loves you too. I know he doesn't always tell you but he loves you." Peeta explains to her.

"But I don't feel like anyone loves me."

"You don't know how much your Mommy loves you or Aunt Katniss and I? Willow loves you so so much and Finn does too. Annie and Finnick love you too and Johanna loves you. And you know who else loves you?"

She shakes her head.

"That little baby in Aunt Katniss's tummy. Did you know that?"

Carter smiles sadly and sniffles.

"We are all going to love you no matter what happens and just because your real dad is gone doesn't mean he doesn't love you." Peeta says.

"But he is dead."