Help Me Make it Through the Night (Everlark Fanfic)

Chapter 13: A Simple Promise

Katniss' POV

It's been an amazing few weeks. since we decided to stay in his... well our house. Its so nice to have one place with only good memories.

Peeta's attack before I was asked to move in was the first and only one that I know of since he got back. According to him, the Capital was able to cure him to the point of him no longer being violent during the hijacked flashbacks. But there is nothing else they can do. He will never truly be himself again.

But that does not matter to me. I love him too much to leave. I'll save him from his flashbacks like he saves me from my nightmares.

I am just heading back through the snow to our home. When I get there his sweet sent fills my nose.

"Went hunting early?" Peeta asks.

"Yeah, but with a snow storm moving in there is not much game out. Sorry I didn't get more than these three." I say holding up three squirrels by their tails.

"Well that's one for each of us and one to share." he says.

"But I have know idea when I'll be able to go back out there. This storm could last for days, maybe even snow us in." I tell him.

"I think you might be exaggerating that." Peeta says.

"When you've been surviving on the woods as long as I have, you learn to read the weather. I can tell this storm is powerful and will at least last a day." I say.

"Okay, okay I trust you but that's what the meat in the cellar is for. And we have plenty of baking supplies. We could survive just on bread for weeks." he says simply.

"Yeah but what are we gonna do in here for as long as we have to stay in here, hiding from the storm?" I ask him.

"Well Christmas is tomorrow, we could celebrate it." he says. Christmas? What the heck is Christmas?

"What's Christmas Peeta?" I ask him.

"You've never celebrated Christmas?" he asks shocked.

"No." I say. He goes on to explain that Christmas is a time when an old religion celebrated the birth of their savior. They gave gifts to each other signify the gifts the savior was given at birth. It is really a beautiful thing Peeta describes to me. I feel that I would love to learn more about it. Peeta said he would tell me more about it one day, maybe find me a Bible whatever that is.

"So it's tomorrow?" I ask.

"Yeah." Peeta says.

"Well, I want to celebrate it. Will you show me." I tell him. He smiles and leads me to the kitchen. He gets out ingredients and I have no idea what he's doing.

"What are you making?" I ask him.

"Christmas cookies. We can decorate them." Peeta says.

"Your the one with the baking talent, not me." I say.

"So what. It's just you and me eating them anyway. If your worried about messing them up, I'll actually bake them and we can decorate them tomorrow morning." He says.

"Good because that gives me time to make you a present." I say smiling.

"You don't have to make me any thing. You being here is present enough." He says.

"You're still getting something." I say rounding to corner, exiting the kitchen.

I go into the study, thinking of what I could get Peeta. What could he possibly want. Then I get it. I quietly sneak upstairs to our room. I reach under my clothes and pull out the mocking jay medallion Peeta gave me in the quell. I carry it quietly down the stairs to the study. I open it and try to find out how to remove the pictures of Gale, my mother, and Prim very carefully. I gently take a picture of Peeta and I and place it one of the frames in the locket. I leave the other two empty and close the locket.

And then I begin on my real gift to him and write my letter to him. Promising him what I swore I would never do.

"Katniss, the squirrels are ready!" I hear Peeta call. I look at the clock and realize I've been in here for over an hour.

We sit down and eat in comfortable silence.

"Katniss, you didn't have to work so hard on a present. You've been in there for over an hour." he says.

"I didn't. My present was just time consuming." I tell him.

"Well I'm sure whatever you got me, I'm going to love." he says.

"Trust me you will be overjoyed." I tell him.

"I hope you like my present too." Peeta says.

"Whatever you get me I'll love." I say kissing his cheek.

"We should be getting to bed." he says.

"Yeah, I am getting tired." I say with a yawn. We head upstairs and settle into bed. I can't wait until I give Peeta his present tomorrow. I know he will love it. This is the last thing I think of before sleep pulls me under.

----------------------

Can any of you guess what Katniss' letter says. What is she promising Peeta? Bet you can't guess. duh you all know what happens. anyway 488 is awsome. I love you all. I started this at the beginning of school three weeks ago. that's an average of 150 reads added each week. you all rock. All your questions will be answered this weekend.

Love y'all

-Kayla