Love, hope and sorrow Book 2 - sequel to Let the rest of the life begin!

Chapter 21: My hero

Chapter 21

-Rye-

"Rye", Skyler says and I look at him. "Smile".

I stare at him and show him a an overly big but fake smile.

Skyler chuckles and shakes his head.

I sit down on the sofa and he sits down next to me.

"What's up?" He asks.

"I think you know", I say.

"Well yeah I know, but hey, you don't have to think about it anymore", he says. "You and Willow are home now, you're alive, you're well and after the interview, you'll be going back to District 12 with your parents".

I know that Skyler's right. But still.

"Yeah but I still can't get the picture out of my head", I say looking down on my feets. "Of how Willow just died in front my eyes, in my arms, I still don't understand how she can be alive when I felt how she stopped breathing right before they took her away from me".

"Usually it depends on how much you want to live Rye", Skyler says and I look at him, what does he mean? "I mean yeah, if someone shoots you with a gun to your head, you clearly just die, but if one is injured and falls in a coma, just like Willow did, it's mostly about if you want to start living again, and what you think you have to live for. Willow must have known that she has a lot to live for. She has you, your family and friends that cares so much about her".

Apparently Willow had been in a coma for two days and they had put me to sleep everytime I woke up because of my outbreaks about Willow.

"You really think so?" I ask.

"No I don't think so, I know so", Skyler says, smiling.

Right that second Auntie Effie comes running through the door.

"Ready, little man?" She asks.

Little man?

I sigh and stand up.

"Yeah I guess so", I say.

I follow Aunt Effie out of the room.

We'll have the interview on our floor, so that's nice anyway.

When we come to the others, I see that Willow is sitting in the love seat and talks to Caesar who is sitting in a chair diagonally in front of her.

Mama, Papa and grandpa Haymitch stands and talks with Auntie Annie, Auntie Johanna and Uncle Beetee.

Willow and I have the same outfits that we had during the interview before the Games.

When I look at Willow, one can hardly believe that she was dead just three days ago. But she was. Now she sits and laugh, shining with joy and her hair locks bouncing on one side of her head and her shoulder.

I sigh and walk up them.

I sit next to Willow and she takes my hand and smiles at me. I smile back at her.

-Peeta-

I look at my children and feel only love and protection, I haven't been able to protect them under this past week and I've never been more ashamed over myself because of that. What kind of father am I if I can't even protect my own children?

I want to smack myself. I really do. And I won't ever let my children down ever again, that's a promise.

"Peeta what is it?"

I get snapped back into reality.

"Huh?"

"Your face just look so thoughtful", Katniss says softly and the others are staring at me.

I say nothing, but I put my arms around Katniss waist and pull her against me.

I bury my face into Katniss hair and I take in her wonderful and sweet scent.

"How are you Peeta?" Johanna asks uncertain. "You're pale, no I mean sicky pale".

I lift my face from Katniss hair and shrugs.

I do feel sick, so I guess she's telling the truth.

"It just feels like I could've done something different to protect Willow and Rye from going inside the arena".

"But you couldn't", Haymitch says. "Coins grandaughter did that to them to harm you and Katniss, so you shouldn't blame yourself, which I know for a fact you do".

I sigh. No matter what they say, I'll always think what I think.

I think they know what I think, because they have stopped trying to convince.

Everyone falls silent and the interview with Willow and Rye starts.

-Rye-

"Welcom, here I sit with Willow and Rye Mellark, I'm sure all of you at home have many questions and we'll try to straight them out here and now", Caesar says, looking into one of the cameras and he looks at us again. "So how does it feel?"

"Like hell", I say.

I wasn't planning on saying that, it just came out of my mouth before I could stop it. Big mistake!

I feel everyone's eyes on me.

I look at Mama and Papa. Mama looks sad but Papa looks guilty, like it's he's fault that all of this happened. No! I don't want Papa to feel like that.

Caesar looks uncertain and he clears his throat, I look at him and devoting all my attention to him.

"Would you like to elaborate on this?" He asks with a frown.

I'm thinking about it for a second before I decide to do it.

"Well I'm just saying that ... Well of course I'm happy that we both got home, but I still can't get the picture out of my head ... The picture from when I had Willow in my arms and watched her die and stop breathing", I say in a shaky voice. "I don't think I'll ever going to get over that".

Caesar seems to have a really hard time not to cry.

Willow takes my hand again and squeezes it.

"Well of course", Caesar says. "Willow how do you feel?"

"Same as Rye, it sort of feels like I have to continue protecting Rye because it feels as if something is going to jump out of nowhere and just kill him", she says quietly.

I squeeze her hand back.

"What was it that got you to continue despite setbacks?" Caesar asks.

Oh shit.

"Bringing Rye home alive to Mama and Papa", Willow said without any hesitation.

My answer is a tad longer.

"Mine was also getting Willow home, but I had something else too", I say. "To make my family proud. But also to make my hero proud. I wanted to make my superhero proud of me, and try to be as strong as he is, but I know that I'll never be, no one can be as strong as him".

"Who is your hero?" Caesar asks.

I look behind him at my parents.

"My Papa", I say and look Papa in the eyes.

Papas eyes widen and he runs up to me and carries me up from the love seat up in his strong and protective arms, hugging me tight.

"I love you Papa, you'll always be my hero", I say.

Papa looks at me and I see that he starts to cry at these words.

"I love you too Rye".

~~~~~*****~~~~~*****~~~~

Okay, I almost started to cry while writing this. I think that the end was a bit emotional, but enough about what I think... What did you guys think while reading this? That's the most important thing :D

Please vote and comment you guys, that would make me very happy :)

-Josephine xx