Almost Forever

Chapter 3

Katniss' POV

That night I cry myself to sleep, but of course one of my nightmares wake me up. It was about Peeta and Gale. They were fighting each other, until Peeta took out a knife and stabbed Gale right through the heart. This is one time I really wish Peeta was here with me because he had a way to just calm me down. It was like magic, his strong arms holding onto me and the way he uses him words just soothes me, and when they were really bad, he took leaps of faith and used his lips to calm me down. Just thinking about it, I slowly drift back to sleep.
The next morning I take a shower, get dressed, braid my hair. I decided today was a good day to go hunting. I put on my dad's hunting jacket and my boots and head out the door.
As I walk out the door, I stop for just a few seconds and feel the light spring breeze that I missed so much. When I get to to the edge of District 12, where the fence was, I stop and take a deep breath. I go straight to the place Gale and I would meet up to hunt together. I grab my bow and start to set up snares.
I don't check the snares until right before I leave. For it being so long since I've went hunting, I sure did get a lot of game today: 3 rabbits, 6 squirrels, 2 birds, and 4 fish, which I caught in the pond my father would take me swimming in.
I get home and put the game away, go upstairs and go straight to sleep. When I wake up, I look at the clock it reads 10:23 a.m. That is the most I've slept in... in since before the 74th Hunger Games. Also I didn't have any nightmares, which was nice for a change.

Peeta's POV

On the train ride home I slept most of the time. But when I was awake, I made a promise to myself that I wouldn't go see or near Katniss until the 30 days are up. Even though I know it will hurt her so much, I know it will hurt me just as much or even more.
After awhile, I go to call Haymitch to see if he can come and pick me up in 4 hours. I made him promise me not to tell Katniss I'm coming home. The longer she doesn't know I'm home, the better.
As soon as I got off the train, I see Haymitch. He greets me with a nice hug. He helps me get my bags in his car and then we head on home. Home... Wow it's so nice to think that I will be back home. Even though I am distracted by the part about that Katniss might see me, I don't even notice my surroundings. It's going to be so hard to hide from her for 30 days.
We pull up to the Victors Village. Haymitch helped me get my things into my house as quick as possible. Once we are done I thank him and then he leaves.

Katniss' POV

I finally convince myself to get out of be and get dressed. On my way to me closet, I take a glimpse outside and I see Haymitch taking bags into Peeta's house. That could only mean one thing, Peeta's home! As I'm getting dressed, I start to wonder why Peeta didn't tell me he was coming home. Maybe he wanted to surprise me. That is something Peeta would do. I decide to give him 10 days to come and visit me, that way he has time to settle in. If he didn't come by then, I would go see him. I sure do hope he comes.

Haymitch's POV

I couldn't believe it when I heard Peeta's voice on the phone. To make it even better he said he was coming home. When I went to pick him up and move him back in, he seemed just like his old self again. I know he didn't want Katniss to know he was home, but obviously he didn't think about the fact that we are all neighbors. I caught Katniss peeking through her window, but I decided not to mention anything.
I drank away the night, trying ever so hard not to think about how Peeta reacted when he first saw Katniss in district 13. Now he is living right next to me, I tried to tell myself he is fine now. Peeta's back in 12 and seemed like his normal bread loving self.