Together, Always || An After Mockingjay Everlark Fanfiction

Chapter 12

~Peeta POV~

Last night was just as tough as I had predicted. Katniss only had an hour of sleep at most before it was interrupted by nightmares. Each time she woke from one she was harder to calm down.

I didn't end up getting much sleep either. I tried to keep myself awake but drifted off occasionally to be woken by Katniss sobbing and screaming for her sister. On this night I felt more pain than I have ever felt before. It was heartbreaking.

I was relieved to finally see the sun peeking from the horizon. I lift Katniss off of me and back onto the bed as gently as I can. There was no need for my cautiousness however as she is exhausted and still fast asleep. I hop out of bed and tuck her in.

~Katniss POV~

It has been another uneventful week of me sleeping mostly. Ever since my trip to the hospital Peeta has been looking after me and trying to get some food back into my body. With his help my appetite slowly returns and I gain some more weight. I finally begin to feel stronger again.

One day I am woken from a nap on the couch by the telephone. Who would be ringing me? I ignore it and the phone eventually stops ringing. The house is left in silence. I'm just drifting back off to sleep when the phone rings again. I groan and walk to the kitchen to pick it up n

The caller turns out to be Dr Aurelius asking how I'm going. I would really prefer to be sleeping right now but I promised myself that I would stop pushing people away that were trying to help me since my Mother moved away.

We spend a few minutes discussing my life in 12, then he starts suggesting strategies to get me back on track and keep me busy. He is talking about possibly having me start to hunt again when I have an idea.

I tell him about the old plant book that my father started. Me and Peeta started to fill it in more after the Victory Tour. I used to write descriptions of various plants and Peeta would paint the images to match.

A few days after the phone call the train from the Capitol arrives with the usual food and supplies for District 12.

Peeta and I were just eating the breakfast he had made when Haymitch burst through the front door.
"Have you ever heard of knocking?" I yell at him as he stumbles through the door.
Haymitch ignores my comment and ruffles my hair awkwardly. He laughs and alcohol fumes are blasted into my face.
"Why wasn't I invited?" he says, stealing a piece of bacon from my plate.
I scowl and slide my plate away from him.
"What do you want?" I snap.
"Calm down sweetheart. I only wanted to deliver something to you. This came for you on the train," he says and hands me a plain black box. I snatch it from him and he leaves chuckling to himself.

I open the box to find a pile of plain parchment sheets with a letter on top. It's from Dr Aurelius.
"What's that for?" Peeta asks staring at the letter over my shoulder.
"It's a bit similar to the plant book we worked on a few years ago." I explain the phone call I had with Dr Aurelius and what I planned to do with the book to Peeta.
"Why don't we get started today?" He suggests.

We spend the rest of the day on the floor in front of the living room fire and start to bring words and colour to the empty pages. We begin by writing a list of everything we need to include in the book. Things that we must never forget.

First we stick a picture on or Peeta will paint it. Then, in my most careful handwriting, I write all the details it would be a crime to forget.

The first page of our new book is about our families. Peeta begins to paint a picture of his family. He stands in the centre with one of his older brothers on either side of him and his parents behind. He paints them with smiling, happy faces even though I know Peetas home life was far from happy. His hand is trembling and tears well up in his eyes as he works but the picture still turns out to be amazing.

I place a photo of my family that I found in my bedroom on the next page. The photo shows young versions of her and I, giggling at the camera with Mum and Dad behind us with their arms around each other, smiling happily down at us. I wish I could go back to the moment this picture was taken. To the time when our family was whole and I was too young to have a care in the world.

A tear slides down my face and I look up at Peeta to see him with tears in his eyes too. We look into each others eyes for a brief moment before we both burst out crying. We hug, sobbing onto each others shoulders. Neither of us try to stop and be strong to comfort the other. We just let out our sadness that we have been bottling up for so long and hold onto each other.

Hey guys! Sorry I haven't updated in so long. I hope you liked this chapter and please feel free to give me feedback or correct me. I promise you will get some Everlark soon 😉 I hope you guys have good holidays! ~everlarkeverlark~