Together

Chapter 26

Katniss P.O.V.

I hold Willow close to me as sobs wrack her little body. Tonight has been an awful night for her as far as nightmares go, so all three of us haven't got much sleep tonight.

"Mom-my!" Willow cries.

"Shh. You're okay, baby girl," I say softly. She finally calms down and pulls back to look at me. "Are you ready to lay back down?" She shakes her head, her breaths still fast and choppy.

"I sleep… in your bed," Willow says. Peeta and I look at each other and I sigh.

"Why don't I stay in here with you until you fall asleep?" I ask her.

"Okay," Willow says as she wipes her eyes with the back of her hand. "Daddy, check for monsters."

"Baby, there are no monsters," I tell her.

"Mhm," Willow says as she nods her head. "They in my bad dreams."

"Willow, that's all those are are just bad dreams," Peeta tells her. "Monsters won't get you with me and Mommy around. Okay?"

"Okay," Willow says as she lays back down. When her eyes finally close, I let out a sigh of relief. The first two times she woke up, she calmed down as soon as she saw us. But this time, she was almost inconsolable.

"That one was really bad," Peeta says.

"No kidding," I reply. "I wonder what's caused her to have nightmares like this."

"I wish we knew," Peeta says as he tucks Willow's hair behind her ears. "Then we could probably do something about it." Willow starts crying again and I run my thumb across her cheek.

"Shh. Mommy and Daddy are right here," I tell her. She quickly settles back down and closes her eyes again. Willow starts moving around, so Peeta and I stand up off her bed to give her more room.

"You want to go on to bed?" Peeta asks me. I shake my head.

"I think I'm going to stay in here for a while and make sure she's okay," I say as I sit down on the floor beside Willow's bed. Peeta sits down beside of me.

"I'll keep you company then," Peeta says. I laugh and lay my head over on his shoulder. My eyes start to close after a few minutes, and Peeta carefully picks me up.

"What about Willow?" I mumble sleepily.

"She'll be okay," Peeta says as he lays me down on our bed. He lays down beside of me, and I cuddle up next to him, laying my head over on his chest. I let the rhythm of his steady heart beat soothe me back to sleep.
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I feel my head being lifted and I slowly open my eyes. "Sorry," Peeta says. "I have to get ready for work. I was trying not to wake you."

"You're fine," I tell him. I lay my head down on Peeta's pillow and close my eyes again. After Peeta gets dressed for work, he comes over and sits down on the bed beside of me.

"I checked on Willow and she seems okay right now, but call me if you need me," Peeta says. I nod my head. "I love you."

"I love you too," I reply. Peeta leans down and kisses me, and I wrap my arms around his neck. "Can you go in later today?"

Peeta chuckles. "Why?" He brings his lips back down to mine and I smile.

"Beause I can think of something better you can do right now than go to work."

"Really?" Peeta asks as his lips travel to my neck.

"Mhm," I reply.

"There's only one little problem," Peeta says.