Under the Willow--After Mockingjay

Stubborn, protective, and brave.

"Willow please wake up. Please." I hear someone whimper. I can feel the softness of the couch beneath me and can hear the crackle of the fire. My head is throbbing but the ice pack on my head seems to be helping a little. I force my eyes open and take in my surroundings. I am in the living room in my house like I suspected. It's still dark out and I can here the rain beating against the window. I am glad there are no lights on in the living room, because that would make my headache even worse. "Rye? Rye why are your crying? Are you okay?" I ask worried that he could have been hurt in the storm. "Willow! Oh thank God!" He says. "I was so worried. The way the branch hit you....the way you dropped to the ground....I thought I watched you...die." Rye, who is always so good with words, is having a hard time getting out his sentence. "Hey it's okay. I'm okay." I try to reassure him. Your gonna be stuck with me for a long time." I say smiling. "Good." He says and gives me a hug.

"How is...Willow! Oh thank God your awake!" My mother says walking into the room and hugging me. I can tell she has been crying. "How are you? What hurts?" She ask. I don't know how she could tell I am in pain. I hide it for Rye's sake. "I'm okay. My head just kinda hurts." I say forcing a smile. My dad walks in, his eyes red and puffy from crying. "I brought some...Willow you're awake!" He says rushing over to me. "Yeah, Yeah, I think we have all established that." I say smiling. "Well we know were she gets her smart mouth from." Says Grandpa walking into the room with a smirk on his face. "I told you she'd be fine. She's tough. You just have to look at who her parents are to see she is a survivor." I smirk. "Are you hungry? It's already eight O'clock." ask Dad. "Yeah a little." "Okay, what do you want to eat? We all had soup but you can have something else if you like." He offers. "No, soups fine." I say. My dad nods and goes to get me a bowl. He brought in a cup of water and I gulp it down thirstily. "I have some Skullcap in my bag, do you want some?" Rye ask. I nod. Mom sits down at the edge of the couch near my feet. "Willow, I saw what you did. That branch could have killed your brother since he is smaller then you....Willow...you saved his life." She says. I look at her not knowing what to say. "That was very brave of you." She says. "I wasn't even thinking about being brave when that happened...I just did it...instinctively." I say. My mom has tears in her eyes. "You're a amazing sister, Willow." I don't know why this is such a big deal. I saved my brother from a tree branch. It's not that big of a deal. "I don't know about that. I just did what any sibling would." I say. "Willow, not all people love their siblings and protect them as much as you do with Rye." She says. Rye walks back in and hands me the Skullcap. I take ten drops of skullcap tincture and then my mom says she is going to get me some St. Johns Wort to combine with it. I take them both gratefully and eat the soup that my dad brings in. It's nothing fancy, just some chicken noodle, but taste delicious. Even though I have been out for around four hours, I am exhausted, but it is hard to go to sleep with my throbbing head. My mother seems to read my mind because she suggest I have some sleep syrup. When she returns with it,I take it gratefully and my eyes begin to droop almost instantly. My dad starts to pick me up to carry me up stairs, but I stop him. "I can do it myself." I say, but since I am tipping over as I stand up, I am not very convincing. I see my dad smile, "So stubborn. Just like your mom." I lean on him for support but by the time we get to the stairs, he just picks me up like I weigh nothing and goes to my room to lay me down. As he pulls the covers over me, I hear him whisper, "Your are so much like your mom. Stubborn, protective and brave." He kisses my forehead and shuts the door behind him as he leaves. Then I am out like a light.

I know, I know, crappy chapter. But hey, two in one night! I own no characters, they all belong to the amazing Suzanne Collins!