The Epilogue - Katniss and Peeta

Tears and Feelings.

"Morning." Willow says to me. I thought she would be at school already.
"Morning, darling. You should get a move on to school." I say. She nods and I sit down beside her.
"Mama, could I ask you something?" I nod and she continues. "Why were you yelling at Dad?"
"I wasn't yelling." I start but she gives me a look.
"Mama, I'm not too good with stuff like this. But you shouldn't treat Dad like that when he makes a mistake. You told me that once, remember?" I look at the floor—knowing she's right—and sigh.
"How'd you get so smart?" I say tucking a stray hair behind her ear. She smiles and I hug her. "I'll see you later, alright?" She nods and heads towards the door.

I walk into the living room and hear her close the door behind her. I hear Peeta walking down the steps. I get ready to give my apology when I look at the sketchbook laid across the couch. I pick it up and look at the sketch of the prettiest flower I know, a primrose. When Peeta enters the room he sits beside me and watches me look at the drawing.

"I'm sorry." He says. "I shouldn't of overstepped like that. I'm just worried for you, Katniss. But if you want me to understand your feelings then you have to talk to me about them. I can only understand to a limit without knowing what's going on in your head." He looks at me and his eyes are soft, I know he feels bad.

I try to speak up but I can't find the right words. Instead, I just lay my head on his chest and listen to his heartbeat. I fiddle with my ring but it brings back all of my memories—the beach where he gave me the pearl, district 13 where it helped me fall asleep, and now here, where it reminds me of all of my experiences.
I stand up quickly—without warning—and walk towards the stairs. I run up the stairs and open the bedroom door. I walk over to my bedside table and rummage through the insides. I search for the pearl in the first and second drawer. No where to be seen. I look under the nightstand and the bed but I can't find it anywhere. I curl up into my knees and I let a few tears fall.

Where is it? I try to remember the last time I had it. On the way to the bakery, I think. Did it drop on the way home? No, it couldn't of...right?
I hear Peeta walk through the door and he sits beside me.

"What happened?" He asks rubbing my back.
"My pearl—it's gone." I say in between tears. I want it so bad, it's like a craving. I need it.
"Hey," he says brushing hair off my face. "We'll find it, I promise. I'll check upstairs and you can check downstairs." I sniff and Peeta helps me up. I walk out of the room and quietly down the steps, just now remembering Rye is still asleep. But if he can sleep through Willow doing anything then we don't have to worry.

I head into the living room and search the couch cushions. I pick up each one—also finding stuff Willow and Rye have lost—then check the side tables. No luck. I go into the guest bathroom, searching the drawers. I check under the sink too, which results in nothing as well. I skip the art room and play room, I'm barely ever in there. The last place it could possibly be would be the kitchen.

I walk into the kitchen—trying to remain calm—and begin to search the cabinets. I look in bowls, plates, dishes, even the silverware. No luck. I look around hopelessly when I spot the sink. Maybe it fell down the drain. I sit down on the floor and open the cabinet to reveal the pipes. I unscrew the pipe and take it in my hand. I begin to tap it on the floor seeing if anything will come out. When nothing comes out, I feel defeated. I put my head in my hands and as much as I try to refrain, the tears run down my face like a river. I feel a tap on my shoulder expecting Peeta, but I find Rye.

"Are you okay, Mama?" He asks with his blanket in his hand.
"Yeah," I sniff trying to wipe my tears. "I'm fine, darling."
"What are you doing?" He asks gesturing towards the mess on the floor.
"I lost my pearl, I was looking for it." I say while looking at him. He face scrunches up then releases. He goes running up the stairs and I look down at the mess on the floor. There's water everywhere—I better clean this up.

I grab a towel from the bathroom and begin wiping down the floor, wiping my tears every few seconds as well. I hear a thud and look over to find Rye on the bottom of the steps. He runs towards me and sits on my lap. He holds up his hand and opens it to unveil my pearl. I gasp softly at the sight of it.

"Where did you find it?" I laugh while crying.
"I had it on my dresser, to remind me of you." I squeeze him tightly and he wraps his arms around me.
"Thank you so much." I whisper. "You don't know how much this means to me."
"You're welcome." He says while letting go. I stand up and walk upstairs to show Peeta. I look in the bathroom to find Peeta looking through the drawers carefully. I hold up the pearl and laugh while Peeta walks towards me.

"Where was it?" He asks while kissing me. I smile and roll it between my fingers.
"Rye had it." I say. He gives me a confused look but I smile. "He wanted it to remind him of me."
"That proves how good of a mother you are." He rings while walking out. I catch a glimpse of his smirk and I smile. I walk downstairs and find Peeta and Rye in the kitchen. I sit down at the table rolling my pearl between my fingers.

I'm startled by the doorbell ringing. Peeta walks over to get it and I hear him stop once he opens the door. I hear him talk to someone and then excuse himself for a moment.

"Katniss," he says quietly. "Go upstairs and don't come down until I come get you." I'm confused but I do as he tells me, because I can tell he isn't joking. I hurry up the stairs and into my bedroom. I try to peak out the window to see what's going on but all I can see are Annie and Haymitch's houses in the distance. I huff and walk around in circles until I'm too impatient—which really was only two minutes. Why do I have to be up here? I could be just fine...wait. It couldn't be Gale, right?

_

*Peeta's POV*
I re-open the door to find Gale standing in the same place.

"What are you doing here?" I ask leaning against the door. 
"Just wanted to visit," he mutters peering through the doorway. "Is Katniss home by any chance?"
"Just left actually." I ring. He gives me a look and steps back.
"And you wouldn't happen to know where?"
"No, actually. She's mad at me so she ran off. Just the usual." I say trying to end the conversation.
"I see." He says stepping back. "Well maybe once you get control of her we could have a—chat." I watch as he walks off and I roll my eyes. I close the door and find Rye standing behind me.

"Why don't you go get Mama?" I ask while walking away from the door. He nods and hurries up the stairs. I sigh and walk into the kitchen to resume washing the dishes.

"What was that about?" I hear her ask behind me.
"Gale visited." I say while setting a plate on the clean dish rack. I turn around and see her frozen. "Hey, it's alright." I say drying my hands off. "He didn't do anything and he won't." She nods and rolls her pearl between her fingers. She sits down at the table but has a motionless look on her face.
"Katniss..." I say siting in the chair beside her. "You can't live like this."
"I'm fine." She says coldly while burying her face in her knees.
"You're lying to yourself." I mumble. She looks up with tears in her eyes.
"Just let me be until after Flynn's dinner. I have to be there for him." I look her in the eyes and I know she's hurting. "Please."

She begs. I nod and I sit there until she sits up. She walks over to the stairs and I hear her sniff on the way up.
She shouldn't feel like this. She should be happy.
This isn't okay.