A Fresh Start-After Mockingjay (Before the Epilogue)

Chapter Forty-Five

Katniss POV- (October)

Peeta turns on his side to face me. He grins a little when his eyes meet mine and I can't help but to smile back. "Good morning." He whispers quietly.

I yawn, "Good morning."

"What adventure awaits us today?" Peeta asks me softly, pushing some of my hair back out of my eyes and gently rubs my cheek with his thumb. Before I can get lost in his touch, I grab his hand, intertwining his fingers in mine.

"I think that laying in bed all day would be great." I mumble to him.

Peeta frowns, "You lay in bed all day almost everyday anymore, Katniss."

I sigh, "I'm sorry, I just don't know what else to do." I tell him truthfully.

"Did you have another bad night?" I shake my head, 'no.' "Then let's go do something fun for once." He suggests.

The last few months have been really good between Peeta and I but I keep falling back in and out of depression. I have nightmares nearly every night, even when I sleep next to him. They're the nightmares that ruin my day before it's even started so I don't do anything but lay in bed until Peeta convinces me to come sit with him while he draws or bakes or something. He's been struggling too but still working hard to do better for me. "Like what?" I ask him, not wanting to do anything.

"Anything you want."

"I want to stay here with you all day." I tell him.

"We can go downstairs and do something together. Maybe work on the book?" He tries.

I shake my head, "I just want to lay in bed all day with you."

"Katniss, come on? We could go have a picnic in the woods." Peeta suggests. I groan. "Please?"

"But I don't feel like doing anything."

Peeta sighs, "You haven't been outside in at least a week."

"So?"

"So, you need some sunshine to make you happier." He says, squeezing my hand.

I roll my eyes, "I do not need sunshine to make me happy." I argue, shaking my head. Outside use to be my safe haven before it became my hell. There for awhile, all I would want was to be outside but when so many of your nightmares occur there, you don't want to even step foot into it. You want to stay inside where it's safe and warm.

"What would make you happy then?" Peeta asks me softly, frowning.

"Nothing. I'm okay." I reply.

He frowns, looking hurt, "I will do anything to cheer you up, Katniss. Just tell me and I will do it."

I shake my head, "I just want to do nothing with you. That would make me happy."

"Can I carry you to the woods and let us do nothing out there?"

I sigh, "You just really want me out of your bed, don't you?" I joke.

He laughs, "No, I just want you to do something you enjoy."

"Okay."

"I know you so well and going out for awhile will make you feel a lot better. Let's go and if you don't feel better after 30 minutes, we can come home and lay here together the rest of the day."

I smile a little, "Okay. Fine but only because you offered to carry me." I say, giving in. Peeta smiles widely and pulls my hand to his lips and kisses it gently. "Stop." I laugh and yank my hand away.

He just laughs, "Come on." Peeta says, pulling me up out of bed. I stretch and Peeta walks over to his closet.

"And put on a shirt. What do you think we are? Lovers?" I tease him.