Finding the Missing Piece: Book 2

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Peeta POV- (The middle of the night)

"Peeta!" I am jolted awake by a screaming Katniss.

My heart races a thousand miles an hour as I search frantically around the bed for her tiny thrashing figure.

She's having a nightmare.

It's the first one she has had in months, that I know of.

If I can get her awake, it takes along time to calm her down.

Sometimes it's hours and sometimes, we just stay awake because they are that bad.

I blink my eyes a few times until they become clearer.

"Katniss, it's okay." I say, pulling the heavy comforter off of her sweating body.

She continues to kick and flail around and her screams soon turn into sobs and I still can't get her to wake up.

"Wake up, Katniss. You're okay, you're with me." I say softly.

"Peeta." She wails into the mattress.

My heart breaks for her.

I can't imagine how she feels right now.

I can't even begin to imagine what she sees or how she feels.

She describes them to me sometimes and I know it can't be as bad as experiencing them in first person.

Tears well up in my eyes at the sight and sound of Katniss being in such terror and me not being able to help her.

A few sobs escaping her mouth here and there she calms down a tremendous amount but still jerks as jumps occasionally.

I lay her head in my lap and unravel her long hair from it's braid.

Her face is hot and sweaty.

In the moonlight, I see tear stains on her face and her eyes are puffy.

I run my fingers through her hair and hope she wakes up soon or at least the nightmare goes away.

"Peeta? Please, don't leave me." Katniss begs.

I look down and see her eyebrows creased but her eyes are sealed shut.

I place my hand on her cheek, "I'll never ever leave you, Katniss. Wake up, please?" I ask her.

She doesn't and the nightmare continues for hours.

They go from bad to worse to okay to bad to worse.

It's just this long cycle and it's killing me.

I have tried shaking her awake and nothing.

I don't want to go to sleep because I would feel terrible to do so in Katniss's time of need.

I believe it's nearly 5am before Katniss finally wakes her self up with a jolt.

I jump at her sudden movement because I am awake but not really aware and she hasn't woken all night.

She turns her face so she can look into my eyes.

"Peeta? Are you awake?" She whispers, scared.

I look up and see the moonlight, in a matter of hours turned into a dull morning.

I look down and see a pair of terrified, gray eyes and chap, parted lips.

"Yeah, I'm awake." I say, brushing a fallen hair from her face.

Her face registers fear and guilt.

"Did I wake you?" She asks me.

I nod my head slightly, not knowing if I should answer honestly or not.

She sits up and faces me. "I'm really sorry." She says looking down.

"I tried to wake you for like five hours. Nothing worked." I tell her.

Katniss gives me a scolding look, "Peeta, you should've gone back to sleep or went to the other room. You're gonna get sick from lack of sleep." Katniss says, crossing her arms.

I give her a tired smile, "Katniss, stop thinking about me and my well being when you've been the one suffering a nightmare for hours."

Katniss cocks her head to the side, "Just like you do for me. Your always thinking of me and others before yourself."

I smile sadly and she returns it.

"Do you want talk about your dream?" I ask her.

She scoffs, "You mean my nightmare? Yeah, let's talk about it." Katniss says, shrugging her shoulders and then leaning into me.

I frown at her, "Let's go down stairs and talk. I need a change of scenery." I say, coming to my feet in the barely lit room.

Katniss stands up and we head down stairs.

I grab a green wool blanket from the closet and lead Katniss to the oblong couch.

I lay down and prop my feet upon the arm of the couch and my head on the other.

I motion for Katniss to come lay by me and she does.

There's still enough room for us both, just as there always has been.

It feels just like old times, having Katniss next to me like this.

It's something that I really missed.

Quality time with her, despite the circumstances.

Katniss lays her tiny figure next to my larger built one and I throw the blanket over us.

She nestles her back against the front of my body and lays her head on my bicep. I lay my cheek against hers, soft and warm.

It's really comforting to me and I'm sure for Katniss too.

"What was it about?" I ask after a few minutes of a comfortable silence.

Katniss's body tenses up against mine, "You, Prim, and my Dad." She whispers.