Finding the Missing Piece: Book 2

Chapter Seventy

Katniss POV- (Middle of the night)

I wake up to excruciating leg pains.

I grit my teeth and close my eyes as the pain pulses through and begins again.

I wiggle my toes that stick out of the cast and that makes it worse.

"Ow!" I screech involuntarily.

I quickly throw my hands over my mouth and look to Peeta.

I didn't wake him up, thank God.

I lift my leg up as straight as I can and bend my knee hoping the movement helps, it makes it worse.

I lay it back down on the stack of pillows and my eyes begin to water from the pain.

I have never been in so much physical pain before, well, just when I was sick awhile back. But this is an entirely knew kind of pain.

It hasn't even been a day and I'm already sick and tired of not being able to walk around or really do anything on my own.

Sick of it.

I hope these next few months go by quickly.

I lay there with my eyes wide open, waiting for the pain to go away, it doesn't.

It must be time for more pain pills or something.

I see them on the dresser across the room.

"Ugh." I mutter to myself.

I look back at Peeta who is dead to the world.

I can't wake him up.

I just have to let the pain pass.

I close my eyes tight as the tears involuntarily flow out of my eyes.

I wince at the pain.

Finally, I can't take it anymore.

"Peeta?" I cry out a grip the bed sheets tightly.

Nothing.

I let out little whimpers as my left shin bone that is newly broken in half, pains.

I feel like I could pass out, it hurts so bad.

Maybe I will, then I won't feel a thing.

"Peeta, please wake up." I whisper in a whiney tone of voice.

Again, nothing.

He is in such a deep sleep that nothing will probably wake him.

Or so I thought.

Like the stupid person I am, I decide to get the pain medication from across the room.

With my crutches downstairs.

I begin walking using little to no force on my left leg, which I mean I could use full force and I'm sure the pain would be the same, but I don't.

I hobble over to the dresser with ease, I grab the bottle of pills and begin hobbling back and that's when I put too much pressure on my foot and let out an ear piercing scream and fall to the floor.

"Katniss!" Peeta jumps up from his slumber and looks around for me.

He jumps up out of our bed and almost steps on me in a panic.

"Katniss! What are you doing?" He asks frantically, bending over to help me up.

He helps me to my right leg and I hold onto him for support, "I'm sorry. I tried waking you several times but you didn't wake up." I say.

Peeta's eyes narrow angrily at me, "What is the matter?" He asks in obvious frustration.

"The pain was unbearable and the medicine wore off." I say with a pout, even though my leg hurts even more than it did now.

Peeta pulls me into a hug, "I'm sorry. I woke up at midnight but you were sleeping too good so I skipped your medicine." He says guiltily.

I frown, "It's okay. I just need it really badly, it hurts so bad, Peeta." I whine.

Peeta shushes me, "I know it does and it probably hurts more now."

I nod my head, closing my eyes and breathing in Peeta's sweet, comforting scent and the pain goes away.

We stand there for awhile, just holding each other in the dark.

I feel no pain, it all just disappeared at Peeta's touch.

"Ready to lay back down?" Peeta asks eventually.

I break away from him and nod.

"Peeta, will you hold me?" I ask once we lay back down.

It's quiet for a minute, "Of course." Peeta says, sitting up and leaning against the headboard.

"Come here." He says softly and I crawl into his lap sideways with my cast sprawled over the edge of the bed.

Peeta wraps his arms around me protectively and I bury my face into his chest and hold onto his t-shirt.

I listen closely to hear his heart beating fast.

"Did you at least get to take your medicine?" Peeta asks me, half asleep.

My eyes get wide, then retract and I whisper, "No, but as soon as you woke up, it went away. That's why I want you to hold me." I say truthfully, with an embarrassed laugh.

I hear Peeta let a breathy laugh, "Not because you love me?" He asks.

I grip his shirt tighter in my fingers, "That too." I say, closing my eyes.

He makes me take my medicine but then holds me again.

Eventually, I fall into a pain free sleep, in my loves arms, hearing his steady heart beat and breaths.

It makes the pain stay away, well, until he gets out of bed and leaves me to sleep longer.

That's when they start back up.