Together, Always || An After Mockingjay Everlark Fanfiction

Chapter 19

I wake in my bed devoid of Peeta's warmth. I stretch my body out experimentally, testing out my back. It already feels so much better, I barely feel any pain. The medication and a good sleep must have really helped. I remember when my mum used to say that sleep was the best medicine. I wish she was still here. She is the only real family I have left. I can't help but feel a bitter feeling towards her when I really shouldn't. If I could, I would leave District 12 just to get away from the horrible memories I associate with it just like she did. Escape to some random district. But I could never bring myself to leave here. District 12 is my home. It's where the forest is, it's where my old home is, it's where Peeta is . . . I could never leave.

I return to the present with a shake of my head and hop out of bed to find Peeta. I can here his muffled voice in the office. He must be talking on the phone. I walk as close as I can to the office without it looking like I'm eavesdropping.
"Sounds good," but his voice sounds uneasy.
"Can I be there tomorrow at midday?" his voice sounding more and more on edge.
"Okay I'll see you then," it sounds like he's trying to stop the anxiety edging into his voice. He may be able to hide it from whoever he's talking to, but he could never hide it from me.
"Thank you. Bye." I hear a beep and the phone clicked back into place. I rush into the kitchen and pretend to be getting myself a glass of water.
"Good morning," he says, the anxiety still clear in his voice.
"Good morning." I leave my glass on the bench and envelop him in my embrace.
"What's wrong Peeta?" I whisper into his ear.
"I need to talk to you."
He lets go of me and leads me into the living room onto the couch.
"What's up?" I repeat.
"I'm going back to the Capitol."
"What? Why?"
"Beetee thinks he may have some kind of medication that could help me with my flashbacks. I'm getting on the supply train this afternoon."
"Why can't I come with you?"
"It would be too dangerous for you-"
No! I want to come with you. I want to help!" I whine like a child. The idea of me alone without Peeta in District 12 is awful but the idea of Peeta alone in the Capitol, a place of terrible memories and a place that appears so often in his nightmares is worse.
"No Katniss! I need to go alone. It will be safer for you and safer for me. I'll only be gone for a few days. A week at the most."
He trudges off upstairs to pack before I can argue. It's only a week, I'm sure I can handle it. The question, is can he?

I help him pack a few pairs of clothes, a phone to call me on, a toothbrush and toothpaste. We cuddle on the bed until Peeta has to go to catch his train at 2. He runs his fingertips under my grey T-shirt and up and down my spine, leaving goosebumps all over my skin as he stares thoughtfully out the window behind me. 2 o'clock comes around much too fast for my liking. He holds me close to his body one last time before sitting up and grabbing his bag.
"Are you sure you'll be okay?"
"I'll be fine Katniss," he says, giving me a wide reassuring smile that I can't help but return. He kisses me softly then leaves the house.

I decide to watch some tv to kill some time and distract me from the loneliness I'm already feeling. I flick through channel after channel, finding nothing of interest. Should I call him? He's only been gone for 1 hour Katniss! Pull yourself together.

I wonder what they might be doing to him. How will they help him? What will they do? Who will be with him? How long? Will he be okay? These questions swirl around and around my head, leaving my body cold with anxiety and making my gut churn. I need a distraction.

I get changed for hunting quickly and run off into the woods. I spend practically every minute of the next week in the woods. I leave home before sunrise, busy myself with hunting and gathering all day, leave before the sun sets, eat dinner, go to bed. Every day. The distraction helps to stop me from falling back into the bad habits I had before Peeta returned to twelve. I make sure I get two meals into my system every day. I leave my scars and burns alone, refusing to pick at them like I used to. I keep my house spotless. I shower everyday. I do so much hunting that both my fridge and cupboard and Haymitch's are packed with game and fruits. Despite this, I refuse to stop. Hunting has become my only distraction from thinking about him.

On the last day of the seemingly never ending week that I have spent without Peeta, I go into the woods again. I spend 3 hours in there without resting, instead fishing, shooting and gathering. I was just plucking some blueberries of a bush near the lake when a very faint rustling came from behind me. I whipped out my bow, preparing for game to walk towards me unknowingly. I expected a wild turkey maybe, or a squirrel, or if I'm really lucky a deer. But nothing could prepare me for this.

I first caught sight of his feet, moving almost soundlessly across the earth towards me. My gaze travels up to his black denim jeans, then to his grey T-shirt covered by a leather hunting jacket much like I wear. I then catch sight of his seam grey eyes and his cropped brown hair.

"Gale!"

Hey hey hey wassup?! I missed you guys so much! Sorry for such a shitty chapter and NO Gale has not turned into a psychopathic murderer who will attempt to brutally murder Katniss and Peeta and all of their everlark children and argue with them like in EVERY OTHER EVERLARK FANFIC EVER. NEITHER WILL I BRING BACK THE LOVE TRIANGLE UGH EWWW *vomits in utter disgust* SERIOUSLY SHEESH I hate it when people do that in THG fanfics! Gale is not a bad guy and he looked out for Katniss and her family since they were kids and she made Katniss happy and they were besties forevsies and so cute omfg. The thing, you know, that happens near the end of mockingjay, *coughs* PRIM DIES *coughs* well that WASNT HIS FAULT anyway my rants over sorry for a shitty chapter, love you all BYYYYYEEEE