Fighting For You: Forever

Chapter 1

Hey guys 💕

🎶So this is the very first chapter of my squeal. I really really really hope you guys like it🎶

🌹I have a few things in mind for the story line of this but if you have any ideas, please comment or Kik me🌹

So yeah, until next time,

Olivia x

"Hold my hand and never let go."

🎶🌏🎶🌏🎶🌏🎶🌏🎶🌏🎶🌏

THREE YEARS LATER

Katniss POV

My fingers close around the chunk of leather-bound parchment and I pull it free from the shelf where it's been abandoned for nearly a year. No-ones touched it in so long that dust was gathering along the edges and into the curled up corners.

I flick to a random page to find Finnicks face staring back at me, both from a photograph and a painting by Peeta. Next to it, in her careful neat print, Annie has listed all the good things about him: it goes on for three pages. I smile at the picture, trying to remember the sound of his voice and the crunching that came from his mouth as he bit into sugarcubes but it's then that I notcie all of Annie's tear marks, staining the page.

I did that. It was my fault. I left him. I made Annie cry.

I quickly turn to another page.

This time it's about Cinna, I run my fingers lightly over the page that's decorated in all of his designs and Johanna's opinions, sprawled next to them. My thoughts and memories about him are on another page and that too is stained with tears both from me and Peeta.

I did that. He died because of what he designed for me. He'd still be alive it it wasn't for me.

I flick to a different page again.

This time it's off the mutts in the first arena, and as I look at the picture of the 'Clove' mutt I can almost hear it growl, smell it's breath-

'Hey Kat, I'm home!' A warm voice snaps me out of my thoughts. I immediately slam the book shut before I cry at all the memories again. I keep telling myself that I should look at the book more, my therapist who still calls occasionally says that it will help me. When we were writing the book it did feel good to do it but now that its all done, I'm not too sure that I agree.

I shake my head to clear it before thundering down the stairs. I'm faced with a newly turned 21 year-old blonde baker whose arms are still covered in flour from his seven hour shift.

It hadn't been that long since I'd seen Peeta but I'd missed him like hell anyway so I run towards him and launch myself into his arms. He envelopes me in an embrace as he speaks to me, 'Feeling alright?' When I don't reply he adds teasingly, 'Did you miss me?'

'Well obviously I would.' I say in such a soft voice it's almost a whisper. I raise my head off Peetas chest to witness a slight blush spreading across his cheeks. Even though we've lived together for practically a year now, he still blushes when I say things like I miss you or I love you. I still blush when he says it back though: Johanna says that we're both a couple of adorable idiots.

'How was the bakery? Busy?' I say as I unwillingly let go of him to allow him to make a cup of coffee for himself.

'Very actually! I had to make a cake for Thom's wedding and that took most of the day.' Peeta explained, going through the motions of working our complicated coffee machine that I can't even attempt to use. 'Annie dropped by with Finley at lunchtime, he said his first word you know?'

'Really? What was it!' I gush, settling myself at the breakfast bar.

'It was "Mama", he said it as he handed a cookie to her, it was really adorable.' I can see the twinkle in his eyes even from where I sit, the other side of the kitchen; he really does love kids.

'Awwh, that's so sweet! Oh and by the way, before I forget, have you seen my pearl around anywhere?'

Peeta POV

She's noticed. She's noticed from when I took it out of her jewellery box last week, I discovered it by accident actually.

*time flashback*

I fumble around the bedroom, trying to silently dress for work without waking Katniss up. I lean over her dresser to get my keys from where they dangle on a hook and CRASH! I knock her jewellery box to the floor, making its lid fly open and it's contents fly out everywhere.

I glance nervously over at Katniss' beautiful form but she's still sleeping peacefully, her arms lay where my body was after I had to unwillingly prize myself out of them a few minutes ago. I hate waking up and leaving her so early but I have to in order to get the ovens warmed up for the busy day ahead.

Swearing under my breath, I stoop down to gather the range of expensive jewellery that Katniss never really wears, back into its box. I think I'm about done when I spot something gleaming under the dresser that must have rolled under. Flattening myself to the floorboards, I wriggle my arm under the thin gap until my hand closes around the round, spherical object and I pull it back out.

And I recognised it straight away: it was the pearl I gave to her on the beach in the Quarter Quell. I can't believe she still had it and to think that she'd held onto all this time, through the war and everything, caused a sweet warmth rush through me and a grin to spread across my face. I turned the object over and over in my hands while ideas of what to do with it ran through my head.

You see, I'd been debating proposing to Katniss for a while now, I mean, she's the only person I've ever loved and I really just want to spend the rest of my life with her. The problem is that I think she's always been set against marriage and I guess I'm just really scared that she'd say no.

I'd talked all this through with the others and I suddenly hear their voices ringing through my head again, as I remember their reactions.

Annie squealing: "Ask her! Do you see the way she looks at you? She loves you so much Peeta and I just know she'd say yes. And you've always wanted to marry right? Well, if you've found the girl you want to marry you have to ask her!"

Johanna huffing: "Suck it up and ask her, you'll never know unless you ask her will you? Plus she's gaga for you, she's going to say yes!"

Haymitch rolling his eyes: "She's not going to turn you down boy! God, she can't even look at you without blushing!"

Maybe Johanna was right. Maybe I should "suck it up" and ask her.

I pocket the pearl and head to work.

*end flashback*

I'd even gone to the jewellery shop in town now and gotten it made into a ring, though I made sure it could be removed again in case she refuses me.

I was planning on taking a massive picnic to the lake with her tomorrow and ask her then; I'd decided on that place because that was the first time that she'd said she loved me and it meant a lot to me because of that.

I lie and said I hadn't seen it, she believes me and pulls me down onto the sofa to watch some TV. As I put my arm over her shoulders and she curls up into my side, I couldn't help shaking at the thought of her saying no and grinning at the thought of her saying yes.

I had been dreaming of her saying yes since I was old enough to know what a proposal was.