Everlasting

Chapter 36

Katniss P.O.V.

"You what?" I ask loudly as I stand up off the bed. 

"Katniss…"

"You talked to Willow about the Games without me?"

"I thought it would be easier for you this way."

"This isn't about me, Peeta."

"Katniss, please calm down," Peeta tells me. "I didn't tell her about everything. I told her about the Games, but she has no clue that we were both a part of them."

"That's all you told her about?" I ask him. "You didn't mention anything about the rebellion?"

"Of course not, Katniss," Peeta says as he stands up and walks over to me. "I thought we'd tell her about all of that together."

"You should have waited for me," I tell him. 

"I know," Peeta says. "But now the biggest part is out of the way, and we can tell her the rest of it a little at a time."

I take a deep breath and look up at Peeta. 

"Well, how'd she take it?"

"It scared her at first," Peeta tells me, "but I assured her that he does not have to worry about it."

"You should have woke me up," I say. 

"I know," Peeta says. "I'm sorry, Katniss. But it's done. I've already told her. Willow already knows, and there's nothing either of us can do about it."

"You should have thought about that before you told her."

"I don't see why you're so upset, Katniss. I thought that since you've been so stressed out about it, that I'd just tell her myself."

I go to open my mouth again, but quickly close it. Yes, I am a little relieved that I don't have to worry about describing the Games to Willow, even though we still have to tell her the rest of it. But I'm more mad at Peeta.

"You could have at least woke me up and told me that you were getting ready to tell her."

"You would have just tried to talk me out of it, Katniss."

"How do you know that?"

"Because that's all you've been doing since I've brought it up that we should tell her," Peeta says. He stops and takes a deep breath. "I don't understand you, Katnis. Willow had to find out at some point. You kept wanting to put it off because you said you weren't ready to tell her. So I told her. By myself. Because I knew waking you up would do me no good. You'd come up with an excuse. 

"I couldn't sit around and wait on you any more. So yeah, I did what I felt like was the best thing for Willow."

"I didn't want her to be scared to death, Peeta," I tell him. "She's my baby girl."

Anger flashes in Peeta's eyes. 

"She's mine too!" Peeta says through gritted teeth as his fists clench at his sides. "Every time something like this comes up, you start this, Katniss. They're always your kids. Your baby girl. Your son. Your daughter. In case you've forgot, I'm their father! I'm the one who Willow calls Daddy! I have just as much right to make these kinds of decisions about them as you do!"

I start to walk off, but Peeta grabs my arm. 

"No!" he says forcefully. "We are not doing this again. You are not running away again."

"I'm just going to go check on the baby!" I yank my arm out of Peeta's grasp before running over to the nursery. I shut the door and lock it as the sobs start. 

What just happened?

Rye starts fussing, so I walk over to the crib and pick him up. 

"Shh. It's okay," I tell Rye softly as I rock him. "You're okay." Rye lays his head over onto my shoulder, and I sit down in the rocking chair with him.
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After a while, Rye starts getting hungry again. I really dont want to go down to the kitchen right now because I know Peeta's more than likely cooking dinner right now. But I have to so Rye can eat. 

I lay Rye down in his crib, and go downstairs to the kitchen. Sure enough, Peeta's standing over the stove cooking. I ignore him and begin to prepare Rye's bottle. 

"Food will be ready in a few minutes if you want to eat," Peeta tells me. 

"I came down here to fix a bottle for our baby," I tell him. "That does not mean that you have to talk to me."

Without another word, Peeta comes over and turns me around to face him. He wraps an arm around my waist and backs me up against the counter. Peeta then puts both of his hands on my back and quickly presses his lips to mine. 

It amazes me that, even though we're mad at each other, this kiss feels so perfect. So gentle. So…

No. No. No.

This is exactly what Peeta wants from me. He wants me to get lost in the kiss. Melt in his strong arms. All so he can convince me to forgive him and agree with him. 

I put both of my hands on Peeta's chest and push him away from me. I don't look back at Peeta as I quickly grab Rye's bottle and walk out of the kitchen.