Here I Go Again

Chapter 24: Harder Than It Has to Be

Peeta POV

Both Willow and Katniss ended up catching Rye's fever, although Katniss is the only one who is still sick. She's sicker than I've ever seen her actually. I'm actually really worried about her. I know she'll be okay, I talked to her mother about it and she said that when Katniss gets sick, she gets really sick. But that doesn't really put my mind at ease.

I feel her get out of bed and hear her stumble to the bathroom. She starts puking and I groan as I get up to help her. I pull back her hair and rub her back while she crouches by the toilet. Eventually it stops and she leans against the wall, panting slightly.

"You want me to go get you some water?" I ask her. She nods and I kiss her sweaty forehead before I get up. I walk out of our bedroom and nearly bump into our sleepy six year old.

"Where's Mommy?" She asks.

"In our room, trying to get some rest," I say. "Which is exactly what you should be doing at 1 am."

"I miss Mommy," she complains as I pick her up.

"I know, but she's sick and she doesn't want to get you sick all over again," I say. "So for right now, she needs to stay away from you and Rye. She'll be better really soon, but she just needs a little more time." I lay her in her bed and pull the soft yellow covers over her. "Okay?"

"Okay Daddy," she says yawning. I kiss her cheek and she giggles. "Goodnight Cupcake."

"Goodnight Daddy," she says sleepily. "I love you."

"I love you too baby girl," I shut her door softly and go downstairs to get Katniss' water. I come up to give it to her.

"Thanks," she says, her voice sounding hoarse. "I really have no idea how the hell you haven't caught this yet."

"I did," I reply. "I just made sure to take medicine when I started feeling sick so I didn't actually end up like you. You probably wouldn't have gotten this sick either had you stopped being so stubborn and listened to me for once."

"Shut up," she says taking a sip of the water. "Thats why you love me. Because then you get to take care of me and there is nothing I can do about it cause I can't fight back."

"True," I say. "Which is why I want you to get back in that bed and sleep."

"I can't get comfortable," she says.

"Just lay down," I say. When she doesn't move right away, I gently pick her up and she lets out a whimper like groan. I lay her down and notice how much she's burning up when I see how the sweat makes her silk nightgown cling to her. I start to understand why she can't sleep. "Just sit still for a moment. I've got an idea."

"Whatever," she groans. "I wasn't planing on going anywhere anyway." I know her snapping isn't her, but she's gotten to be quite the grouch since her fever set in. I walk into the bathroom and fill a bowl with cool water and get a wash cloth before going back into the bedroom. Katniss had slumped down on the bed by the time I come back. When she sees me, her tired grey eyes look at me with confusion.

"What's that for?" she asks. I don't answer her but instead I have her sit up and carefully start lifting her nightgown but she slaps my hand away. "What do you think you are doing?!"

"I'm going to try to bring your fever down," I say.

"By taking off my nightgown?" she asks.

"I was going to wipe your back down," I say as calmly as I can.

"What if Willow walks in?" she asks.

"She's asleep," I say. "And as long as you keep quiet and stop yelling at me, she'll stay that way."

"Can you at least lock the door?" she asks.

"If it'll make you feel better," I say standing back up. I go over to the door and push the button that locks the door. I go back over to her and she lets me slip her nightgown over her head. She holds my gaze as she lays down on her stomach. I gently push her messy braid to the side and start running the wash cloth across her back. She lets out a noise between a groan and a sigh as she lays there. "Feel better?"

"Yes," she moans. "So much better."

"You know I've been really worried about you," I say.

"You always worry about me," she says. "You've barely let me out of the house for three months."

"In my defense, you were pregnant two of those months," I remind her.

"I know that," she says. "I was the one who gave birth remember?"

"You've still got your sense of humor," I say. "Thats good."

"Stop talking like I'm dying or something," she says. "Its just a fever."

"But neither of the kids got this bad," I say.

"But like you said before I got sick," she says. "I ran myself ragged and was so exhausted that I couldn't fight this very well. I'm still tired. I'd be better if I could get a good night's sleep."

"Well lets just see if we could get that for you," I say.

"Can you just lie down beside me for a while?" she asks.

"Sure," I say and I set the bowl aside before crawling across her to my side of the bed. I pull the covers over us and Katniss wraps her arms around my neck. I see tears in her eyes and I wipe a stray one from her cheek. "Whats wrong?"

"I'm so scared to fall asleep," she says. "I keep having nightmares again."

"Shhh," I whisper as I brush her hair out of her eyes. "Just close your eyes. I'm right here. Nothing is gonna happen. There is nothing to worry about. I won't let anything happen while you sleep."

"Promise?" she asks.

"I promise," I say kissing her forehead. She lays her head on my chest and I gently run my fingers up and down her bare back. I feel her eyelashes flutter slightly and hear her breathing eventually slow as she falls into the first peaceful sleep she's had in a week.

And true to her word, Katniss' fever broke the next morning when she woke up, finally recovering by getting the rest she desperately needed.

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This book will be coming to a close soon but I will be having some new books coming out soon. Until then, check out my other after Mockingjay book, "In The Blowing Ashes". it's a little more true to the books and is a fresh start to my approach of Everlark growing back together.