The Mockingjay Lives On

Chapter 10

Peeta POV

I sit and watch Katniss for hours playing with Hunter and feeding him. It's in these moments that I see her truly happy. No trace of sadness. Good. She deserves to be truly happy. 

After a while, I get up to go take a shower, leaving the two of them to have one on one time. I lean down and kiss both of them on their foreheads and head on upstairs. As I shut the door, I hear Hunter's little giggle. It makes me happy and sad all at the same time. 

When I'm done and dressed, I open the door to our room and hear complete silence. Odd. I trudge down the stairs as quietly as possible. I don't want to interrupt anything with my noise. I still don't hear anything and start looking for them. I come around the corner to the living room and find Hunter passed out in the crook of her arms and Katniss curled around him, protecting him. The both of them sleeping so peacefully. Immedately, I get a thought. 

I quietly go into my painting room and bring out an easel and painting materials.

It took me three hours to paint this to make sure I got every single detail correct. I want to give this to Katniss. Neither her nor Hunter moved an inch the entire time, except for when I was putting the finishing touches on the painting. I had a feeling he was going to start fussing soon, so I quickly cleaned up my mess and put the picture away, washed my hands and scooped him up before he could wail. Ugh! I see why he was starting to wake. He's got a dirty bottom. 

I go upstairs with him and get him changed, fed and back to sleep. He's such a wonderful baby. I wait a few more minutes before I transfer him into his crib, I don't want to disturb him anymore than he already has been. 

I head back downstairs and she's still peacefully sleeping, completely unaware that Hunter is no longer in her arms. I lean down and pick her up to take her up to our bed. Of course, as soon as I cover her up, she wakes up in a panic. "Oh my God! Where's Hunter?" she starts to get out of bed. "Shhh, its okay! Don't worry Kat. He's already had a diaper change, fed and fast asleep in the crib." I tell her.  

Her face relaxes and she looks at me, "well come to bed with me then." I smile and turn to shut the lights off and climb into bed after removing my pants, leaving me in my undershorts. I curl up next to her and wrap her up in my arms. She turns around and presses her lips to mine and it makes me want more. In moments, we are wrapped up in each other with the night passing by us in a blur.

Katniss POV

I wake up to the sound of laughing from downstairs. That's when I realize that Peeta isn't in bed and that we have Hunter. I get up and want to take a shower, because I know I didn't get to shower last night, but I really want to peek in on Hunter and Peeta. 

I tiptoe down the hall and check the bedroom that we have for the kids and see Peeta purely focused on Hunter. It's apparent that Hunter is loving the attention that he's getting. He's one lucky little boy to have Peeta's full attention. An image of Peeta with a child of our own pops up in my head and I smile. I think we can do this. Have a baby of our own. I quietly make my way back to our bedroom and step into the warm shower. 

After I get dressed, I start to walk out of the bedroom and something catches my eye. To my left there is a beautiful painting of Hunter and I asleep on the sofa. It is so beautiful. I've never actually watched Peeta paint something of this size. Only in our book. He usually only paints something this big after a flashback... OH NO! Did he have one after I fell asleep with Hunter? I need to find out. 

"Peeta!!" I shout. Still standing in the same position, panicked. I hear him flying up the stairs, "Katniss! What's the matter?" I hear him yell back as he makes his way to our room. Still staring at the picture, I ask him, "did you have an episode last night?" I glance at him as I finish the question. He stares at me, confusion crossing it. "No, why?"