My Dark Past [Completed]

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Unexpected Hospital Visit

I embrace the moment as I watch Peeta teach his nephews how to bake Christmas cookies in our kitchen, Challah  and his wife are out of town for a few days so obviously Peeta volunteered to look after the kids and so we've been looking after an eleven year old boy, a six year old boy and another three year old who is also a boy. I smile as the kids decorate their cookies as Peeta and I sit on the couch where we can see them, Peeta and I are interrupted from our moment from my phone ringing so with a groan I answer it

"Hello?"

"Katniss.... it's your father...."

"Mom? What's happened? Why are you crying?"

"He's got cancer, he passed out when he was cooking dinner and now I haven't seen him in hours"

"Okay I'll be right there"

"Okay...."

After hanging up the phone I immediately stand up and get my winter coat, Peeta looks at me confused but worried, it might sound mean but I don't really care because my dad is who I need to be with right now

"Katniss, what's going on?" He asks

"It's my dad. I need to go to the hospital, I'll explain it all later" I explain quickly as I put on my shoes

"Wait what? I thought cancer doesn't run in your family" he admits

"I know so did I. You stay here with the kids, I need to be with mom" I reply, I walk over and give him a loving kiss

"I love you" I whisper

"And I love you. Call me if anything happens" he replies, I kiss him one last time before rushing out the door, I hope to god my dad is okay.

+++++

I run into the hospital and see my mom sitting on a chair wiping her cheeks to wipe the tears that are constantly falling away, I go over to her and just as she sees me she runs into my arms, I never imagined that I'd be here for a bad reason but here I am in a hospital for another bad reason, this is exactly why I hate hospitals so much, it's just my whole life I've been in hospital due to the injuries that happened during the whole sexual assault thing and along with my depression, hospitals aren't exactly my favourite place but I acknowledge all the hard work the doctors and nurses put in, seeing as my moms one herself and my sister is studying to become one. It's a little while before they finally let us see dad, I can finally say that I witnessed true love, the amount of love I saw between my parents was one of a kind and it proves that there is something called a soul mate that exists, I realise that I've got my soul mate, I'm marrying him in the summer and I'm going to start a new life with him

"Hey dad.... how you holding up?" I ask walking to stand beside his bed

"I'm feeling okay. I've been better, I'll be okay though" he replies but his voice all raspy and scratchy

"I thought this kind of thing doesn't run in our family" I frown

"I know but when you were in college we found something that might've been cancerous, they put me through surgery and done what they could. We told Prim that it was something to do with my kidney, nothing alarming" he admits

"Dad, you should've told us. We're your daughters, how do you think I'd if you died from this and we didn't know till then?" I tell him with tears in my eyes

"I know sweetheart, I just didn't want you or Prim worrying over me. You're getting married and starting a life, Prims in college studying to become a doctor. You both had so much, the last thing you needed was a distraction" he replies

"Dad.... you're not a distraction. You're my best friend and my father, I know that you'll get through this if you fight and I know that you're good at fighting for your family" I say taking his hand by now mom has left to give us a minute together

"You know, when your mom found out she was pregnant with you I was over the moon. The doctors told us that you were at high risk at being premature or born with a disability which worried your mom and I but what scared us the most was when you decided to come early, we thought for sure that we'd lose you, I was so scared because it wasn't only because it was my first baby but your mom and I were young, we married after high school and had you when we were only twenty-one. When you were born and I held you in my arms.... healthy as can be, I fell in love because you were my little girl and you were the most amazing baby, that day I vowed that you'll be protected by me at all times, I vowed that I'll raise you to be the best woman you could be. Look at you know, I look at you and I see that I've done a pretty damn good of it" after he finishes explaining I wipe the tears from my cheeks

"I don't want you to die before I'm married, I need you in my life" I sniff

"I promise that I'll fight to walk you down the isle but promise me one thing" he says and I nod

"Promise me that when I die, you won't shut the world out. I want you to be happy and I want you to move on with Peeta, he's a good man and he's loved you for a long time, don't let it be unnoticed"

"I promise dad, I'll make it my dying wish to make you proud. I'll be strong, because your my dad" I reply and he smiles brightly

"You've already made me proud, you've given me the fatherly years that has made me a better man than I ever was. You've made my life worth living" he smiles, I then hug my dad, missing the warmth of his arms and I find myself flashing make to when I was just a little girl and laying on the couch with my dad after a nightmare I had, I remember him singing a soft tune as he embraced me to make me feel safe and that's what's happening right now, my dad's warm embrace making me feel more safer than ever as he sings the exact same tune even though his voice doesn't sound the best right now, I have to be strong for my dad and I'll keep his promise forever.

+++++

When I walk through my apartment door I smile at the sight of a clean home, knowing Peeta must've cleaned when I was at the hospital. I look to our lounge room where Peeta sits watching TV, I walk over and sit next to him in silence which is what I need for the moment and I think he knows it too because he lets me lean into him as we both just watch the stupid reality TV show but he soon breaks it after a little while

"How is he? Is it bad at all?" He asks

"He's doing okay, mom is with him. The doctors said that they'll know soon but they gave us an estimate of a 50/50 chance, that's all they said that they could give. We just need to wait now" I sigh

"Well I'm here for you, anything you need, I'm here" he replies

"Thank you Peeta.... thank you for being so understanding throughout our relationship" I smile at him and he smiles and kisses my forehead

"All for my girl. I love you"

"I love you, so much"