Catching Fire: The New Story

Chapter 69

Peeta's POV

I sit down on the couch in front of the tv. Waiting for the private training scores. I don't, or ever, hear Katniss come around the couch. I pull my arms out and let her sit in between my legs. She curls back into my chest. Everyone, our pre teams, Cinna, Portia, Effie, and Haymitch, all come and sit with us. Katniss shakes in my arms. I kiss her hair and let her head fall back on my shoulder.

Caesar comes up, with his usual get up of a deep purple suit, hair, and lips. His teeth are all I can focus on when he talks, I'm sorry. They're just so white. Caesar starts on District One. The Careers, as usual, get from an eight to ten. They go by fast, everyone gaining at least a six. Which is better than expected for many are in their late forties. It finally comes to Katniss and I. She shakes under my arm, I wrap my hand around her growing stomach and run my hand up and down. She stops shaking when her name is called. A twelve. She got a twelve. I did too.

"What does this mean?" I ask. I look at Haymitch, how might as well just tell me the truth. He waits for a few seconds and is about to answer my question, when Katniss jumps out of my arms and runs to her room. Slamming the door, tears in her eyes.

"Better go comfort her boy, you might not get a lot more time together. Alone." Haymitch says, patting my back. I nod. Effie burst into tears also, Portia comforting her. Cinna and Haymitch both stand, walking together to the dinning room and talk. I jog up the steps to Katniss's room and knock softly. I put my eat to the door and wait for footsteps. They never come. I jump back when the door opens. I see a crying Katniss. Her face is pale and pink around her cheeks, eyes and nose. She rushes into my arms and I bring her inside, locking the door behind me. Her legs wrap around my torso, I sit down with Katniss in the same position.

"Peeta, they're going to kill us." She sobs. Between every word she sobs harder than before. I rub her back and wait for her tears to calm. They don't after a few minutes. Might as well talk to her.

"No, they aren't going to kill us." I say. "Just me." I mumble. She cries harder, I shouldn't have said that. Her fists ball up the back of my black shirt and her hair tickles my neck and face. She smells exactly like the woods, like she always does. I smile and wrap my arms more protectively. "I'm sorry. No they aren't going to kill me okay."

I bring her forward so I could speak to her face and not her hair. "Were going to protect each other okay?" she nods. "Just rest now. Tomorrow we train for the interviews."

"Okay Peeta." She says, sounding like a five year old. I rub circles into her back and let her tears continue on my shoulder. I mumble the lyrics to the Valley Song, only the ones I could remember. The rest of it would be me humming. I rock her back and forth until she calms down. Her voice fills in for mine as I continue and let hers overtake mine until she's singing quietly. She sings herself to sleep, I never stop rocking her like a child.

I stand, still rocking Katniss back and forth, laying her under the covers. She curls herself on the bed, hugging her tummy. I smile and kiss her forehead. I hear her still mumbling the lyrics.

"Always love you... always..."

"Always." I say. "Always."

I walk around the bed and lay with her. I let my mind take in the beauty of the room, all the detail in different shades of gray. I start to count them. 50. 50 shades of gray. That's how many I count until sleep beats my eyes once more.

*

I yawn and hear the knocking on our door again. I rub my eyes with my hand and look to my right, where Katniss is still sound asleep. I uncover myself and walk to the door. I open to find an Avox, dressed in one of the many grays I counted last night. She hands me a note and I thank her. She walks off and I lay back in bed, besides Katniss. She stirs, moving to her left side and wrapping her hands around my arm. I laugh.