Finding the Missing Piece: Book 6

Chapter Eighty-Two

Peeta POV-

"Peeta, will you hold my hand while I sleep?" Katniss asks me shyly, seeing that we are both growing weary.

"Of course." I say softly, reaching out to her in the dim room.

I find her hand and my body tingles as she intertwines her fingers in mine.

I look at her.

"What?"

I shake my head, "Nothing. I'm just glad you're holding my hand." I admit.

She laughs, "Why? Do we usually not hold hands or anything like that?"

"No, we do. I just didn't know if you'd be comfortable with it."

"I want to try anything." Katniss says.

I nod my head, "Well, we have lots of time to try tomorrow. I'm not sure when they're letting you go but hopefully it is soon. I'm hoping that when you get home maybe it'll help."

"Will the kids be back home when I go?"

I nod my head, "If that's what you want."

"That's what I want." She says.

I smile sadly, "You better get some rest. I won't make you have baby duty for awhile but even when one of us isn't on baby duty at night it's still hard to sleep."

"Oh." Katniss says.

"But, lucky for you I guess, you don't have to breast feed anymore."

"I could if it's what's best for him. I mean I know that I don't really know what I'll be doing but I'll try. I mean he's my son and if that's what we thought was best for him then I want to stick to it."

"Don't worry about it. If you still want to try tomorrow when they come see us in the morning you can. I guess it all just depends on what you feel."

"I didn't even know that these boobs had anything in them. I just thought they were sore from the wreck and that I had been blessed big boobs."

I snort, "I know you're trying to make me feel awkward. I know that face."

She giggles, "I'm sorry. I just want us to be honest with each other so that nothing is weird between us. It hasn't been weird before, has it?"

"No. We've always been pretty open about things."

"Then that's how it should stay." Katniss says.

I smile a little, "Okay, well, you go to sleep and we will tend to your boobs and everything else tomorrow."

She laughs, "It's only as awkward as you make it."

"If you only remember every time I've ever told you that." I laugh.

"Goodnight, Peeta." Katniss says softly, leaning her head back.

"Goodnight, Katniss. Get some good rest. I'm not leaving your side." I promise her.

Katniss nods her head and scoots further down into the hospital bed, still tightly gripping my hand.

I watch her until she falls asleep and I sneak a kiss on her forehead, settling down a bit myself and preparing for the crappy night this is gonna be. 

I still hold onto her hand as I fall asleep.

Nurses come in to check on her every few hours and neither of us wake until about 9 o'clock, even with the dozens of disruptions.

Our fingers are still locked together when I bring my aching head up.