After the Rebellion | Part 2

Chapter 17

12th March

34 Weeks Pregnant

5 Weeks to Baby

-Katniss

My mind goes back to our wedding day 3 weeks ago, one of the best days of my life and hopefully one of the best days of Peeta's life as well. I trail back over to the morning of the wedding when I was getting ready. Then to seeing Peeta when I walked down the aisle, he looked like my sister at Christmas when I finally had the money to buy her one of the decorated cakes at the bakery that she always stopped and looked at after school.

Peeta has been so distant since the night of the wedding. He's been having more flashbacks and spending so much time at the bakery and in the room we converted for him to paint. With not long left until I give birth to our child, I'm so worried about him. Why is he so distant? Will he ever tell me what's going on?

We haven't really spoken properly for 3 weeks. He was fine the day of our wedding but when it went into the night he seemed to have changed and he went straight to the bakery after wards. I tried to follow him but my mother wouldn't let me follow, she said he was crying or something and that made me want to see to him even more but she had her orders. Not that I ever listened to them anyways, this time I did. I stayed with my mother and everyone else who attended the wedding apart from the one person who I was meant to spend OUR wedding day with. Peeta.

I think about our first dance, it was unusual. We couldn't get close enough with my bump in the way. The song was 'A New Day Has Come' by Celine Dion. One of my mother's personal favourites, I can see why she loves it so much. It's such a beautiful song and I will forever remember the lyrics and what they mean to me;

'Where it was dark now there's light

Where there was pain now there's joy

Where there was weakness, I found my strength

All in the eyes of a boy'

He's taken away all the darkness in, he's taken away all my pain, he is my strength, all in the eyes of him.

It's 9pm and I'm waiting for Peeta to come home from the bakery. Not that he says much to me anyways. He just gives me a sweet kiss and we go up to bed where he kisses my forehead and my stomach and wraps his arms around me before I fall into a peaceful night sleep. I can't say Peeta does because I know he doesn't. He wakes up around 5 - 6 times a night and leaves the bed and then comes back a while later and wraps his arms around me again. But not tonight, tonight I will finally get answers out of him.

Peeta walks through the door as he does every night. He hangs his coat up on the coat rack and takes his shoes off and places them underneath his coat. He walks past the couch and kisses me on the forehead lightly. "How was it?" I ask.

"Same as usual, busy." He replies.

"Peeta?"

"Yes Katniss?" He says while making his way over to the couch. He sits down next to me before I carry on talking, "What's going on? You've been so distant lately, I've missed you."

"I know, I'm sorry it's just things have come up that I'm not ready to talk about yet."

"Peeta, you can't keep hiding this from me, I'm your wife, the mother of your unborn child. You need to be letting me in, just like I let you in."

"I know, I'm sorry," He sobs quietly.

I haven't seen Peeta like this for so long. I put my arms around his neck and pull him into my chest for a hug. He quietly sobs into my chest as I whisper into his ear, "It's okay, I love you."

He sniffles slightly before wrapping his arms around my waist. His sobs slowly stop and his breathing returns to normal. "I'm not used to this, it's usually you comforting me," I giggle. He giggles slightly too before lifting his head and locking his eyes with mine. He leans forward slowly and leaves a light kiss on my lips before pulling away and whispering, "I love you, so much."

I hold him for a few minutes longer until he's finally calmed down and is back into the Peeta I know he is. "Hey, look at me," I coo. He lifts his head from my chest again and pulls me into his lap this time. My arms go around his upper body as his wrap around my waist. "Okay, you ready to hear this?" he asks.

"Peeta, are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure. You need to know Katniss." I feel him shiver and I hug him tighter, letting him know that I'm not going anywhere and I love him.

"You know the night of our wedding?" he says.

"Yes? You ran off crying or something my mother explained. I tried to follow after you but she wouldn't let me. I know I never listen to what she has to say but this time I thought I ought to."

"Well, my parents and brother's turned up, Katniss. They're still alive."

"W-What?" I ask.

"Yes, I know. It's crazy, I always thought they had passed away in the rebellion but they obviously didn't and that's what I've been doing, spending time with them and telling them all that's gone on since the rebellion ended."

"Oh, Peeta, that's wonderful. I understand why you didn't tell me. You wanted to make sure it was real first right?"

"Yes, I guess. I told them about the wedding and about you being pregnant and they said they want to make it up to me, and you. They want to be here for us, Katniss. My father told me that my mother changed as soon as I went into the games the second time. As soon as the reaping ended they left the district, tried to get as far away from here as they could because they knew it would all end badly. They stayed on the outskirts of the district for so long, they look so different. So, skinny."

"That's wonderful, I'm glad they came back. I really am." I place Peeta's hand over my pregnant stomach, "At least this one will have a big family now." I giggle. He giggles with me too.

I can't believe it. Peeta's family are alive. Our baby's going to have a set of grandparents and Peeta finally has his parents back.