Aftermath

Remember

Peeta grips my hand  tightly.

"Yes." He says shakily. "My name is Peeta Mellark, and....and I was in the Hunger Games." He chokes the words out as if lodged in his throat. He exhales quietly and gives me a nudge. I squeeze his hand in response.

I clear my throat. "Um, yes. My name is Katniss Everdeen and I was also in The Hunger Games." I say as quickly as possible before the words get caught in my throat too.

Their faces say it all. Horror. 

"As you can see class, Mr Mellark and Miss Everdeen have suffered the true brutality of the once powerful Capitol." Says a young fair haired woman to the room of gawping school children. Within a few seconds hands are flying up in the air, questions thrown off the walls.

I can feel myself  beginning to break up.

"Silence!" Demands the young woman, know to these children as Mrs Barton. The room freezes. "One at a time!"

I inhale and clench Peeta's hand so much I'm scared he might pull away, but of course he doesn't, he stays beside me, as my support.

"Yes." Says Mrs Barton chimes pointing at a very small red headed girl who's arm has been strained in the air since we arrived, I can almost feel the bile filling my mouth as I remember the Avox's we had.....back in the Capitol.....

She slowly shuffles out of her seat and begins across the classroom towards  us both, watching her teacher in case she disapproves. She does not.

Once she's arrived in front of us she latches herself onto Peeta and refuses to let go. Peeta lets go of  my hand and embraces her too, getting down on one knee.

My heart sinks at the sight and I feel almost close to tears.

"I'm sorry." She says. "Thank you for saving us."

Peeta smiles back at her. "Thank you." He replies nudging her cheek gently. Peeta's always wanted children....maybe he still does....

She then turns to me and hugs me also, but only briefly as she can see I'm not overly comfortable.

And then as if planned the whole class performs the district 12 farewell sign before rushing off to next lesson with plenty to talk about.

We quickly say our goodbyes and leave the school at a remarkable pace. We both hate 'rememberance day.' 

It's always painful, the day we remember those who've fallen, those brave soldiers, those who fought to save others and those tortured by a higher authority, the Capitol.

We barely look at each other all the way home, let alone say a word to each other.

But once behind the closed door of our loved home we allow the tears to fall.

Peeta leans against the door frame of the living room, silently crying by himself, but it's not long before I join him, embracing him. And for a few moments we drown in our grief as we remember the people we killed   and those who were killed for us.

Prim,  Finnick, Cinna, Rue, Portia, Cato, Clove, Marvel, Wiress, Madge, District 12, the people of District 1, 2 ,3 ,4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 , 11......Part of Peeta.......

I look up at Peeta and lean in for a kiss, standing on my tip-toes to reach. The moment I feel pressure of his lips on mine I can't get enough. The hunger in my stomach for more burns so violently I'm scared. But before I can explore these feelings anymore, Haymich stumbles in, as drunk as a skunk.....................and pukes on the carpet.

"Oh, Sorry! Am I interrupting something?" He slurs spilling the liquor in his bottle onto the floor.