Everlark- The Years After the Epilogue *Editing*

Support

''Baby please, come on Katniss, calm down, calm down, it's not real, shhhh, shhh'', Peeta was gently cradling me, softly rocking me back and forth and trying to calm me down. I just couldn't get out of that moment, that moment when I'd made my first kill, that moment when I'd sent the arrow flying into the force field and that moment where I wished that I would die. ''Come on Katniss, come back to me'', Peeta's voice cried out to me, I could sense how worried he was and it broke me. I tried my hardest to fight out of this mental battle, thinking of my children and thinking of Peeta. Slowly, I came back around to reality, a huge gasp of air leaving my mouth. ''Oh Katniss'', Peeta aspirated, as he squeezed his arms tighter around me. I wrap mine back around his and we lay there for about 5 minutes in complete silence until I'm alright.

''Peeta'', I whimpered, trying my best to hold in my tears.

''It's alright, I'm here', he whispered into my hair, he stood up, helping me up on his way until I was stable enough to do so myself. ''Um Gale's here'', he said nervously.

''Oh, um where is he?'' Why was he here again?

''He's in the nursery with Rye, I'll leave you two alone, you call me if you need anything, or come see me I'm only down the road'', he said, almost commanded. He took a stray strand of my hair and pushed it behind my ear, caressing my face as he went. ''I love you, alright?'' He paused. ''Always'', that's when he placed a kiss on my lips and left without saying another word.

''Always'', I whispered as he left through the door. I walked down the hallway to go find Gale, I heard him mumbling something to Rye, but I couldn't quite hear until I got to outside the door where I could hear quite clearly. He was telling Rye a story about how we'd go hunting together

''I've always loved her you know, but she couldn't see that, yet every day when we were in the woods hunting I'd see that smile and fall for her all over again. It all changed after the games and I started to realise she needed Peeta, I um mean your dad, more. The thing about your mother is she was amazing in everything she did, but your father and her needed and still do need each other, I made a big mistake creating those bombs, but whenever I was sad I'd remember the old days. But I found Cressida a couple of years afterwards and she makes me feel nearly whole again, but deep, deep down there's a space where I need your mothers friendship.'' I walked through the door and Gale jumped up from kneeling beside Rye's crib. ''Oh um, did you hear that?''

I laughed a little before saying ''Yeah I did'',

''Ahhh. It was only a story, I didn't know you were listening... I'm sorry''.

''I know, I know'', I knew deep down he was apologising for much more than that 'story', he was apologising for pushing me into loving him, turning evil when we disagreed and then there was Prim.

''About earlier...'' He trailed off into a silence once he saw my reaction.

''Not now Gale, I haven't even had time to talk to Peeta about it yet, just leave it.'' Out of everyone Gale would never be the first I'd go to, not even after Peeta, he lost my trust a long time ago.

''Alright, no I understand. Erm I just came over to ask if you wanted to come up to 2 for Cress' birthday do. Annie will be there and it'd give you a chance to see the kids?'' He seemed so unsure of asking, but I took a deep breath, just taking everything in.

''Yeah sure, I mean it'll be nice for Willow to meet some more family. Plus I miss your mother,''

''Yeah well you're all invited, I recon Peeta will get on with our eldest'', was that a subtle invitation for Peeta too? Was he expecting him not to come??

''Yeah it'll be nice, look talking of family I should really go pick up Willow from school'', I said quickly changing the subject. Gale looked somewhat disappointed that his visit had suddenly come to an end.

''Oh I was hoping we could talk a bit more, it has been 17 years Catnip'', he said, his lips moving left to make his slightly crooked smile.

''Well you can always come? But we've got to leave now'', I said. I wasn't completely sure whether this was a good idea or not, but it was worth a shot. Gale agreed almost instantly. ''Come on then, let me just get Rye and we'll go.'' Just as we were leaving the door I received a message from Johanna. 'Just leaving 7 now, should be a couple of hours at the most, ee! See you lovebirds soon. J x'