The Epilogue - Katniss and Peeta

Crying and Intentions.

My child. My sweet child. She didn't deserve this. She didn't deserve any of the cards she's been dealt. She's been screwed right since the beginning. This is all my fault.

I feel myself begin to break down when I look at him. His face full of sorrow and remorse.

"Please don't blame yourself," I tear up while looking at his defeated look. "This isn't you're fault. If anything, you helped greatly. I wouldn't have known if it wasn't for you—"
"She knows, Katniss." He starts while cutting me off. My eyebrows raise in confusion, and my body seems to be confused by all of the sudden emotions in my system. "They told her what you did. They told her about the games."

"I—I don't—" I begin, but I spot her. She comes running through the door, and I hear her cries as she runs up the stairs. Peeta follows just close behind and his face displays a look of hesitation as he watches Flynn and I crying as well.

"Katniss, are you alright?" He asks while walking towards me. I shrug it off and motion towards the stairs.
"We're fine, go find Willow." I start before looking back at Flynn. "She knows?" I ask with a tear streaming down my face.
"Everything." He voice breaks and he buries himself in my arms. I hear Peeta move up the stairs and I let him rest his head on my shoulder.

She knows. She knows I murdered thousands upon thousands of innocent people. Innocent young children and adults. None of them deserved what I caused.

I never meant for this to happen.
I never meant to start a rebellion or war.

I was merely surviving.

_

*Peeta's POV*

I hurry up the stairs and I walk towards her room. I knock on the door and I can hear her crying. I open the door to find her siting on the edge of her bed, facing the wall. I close the door behind me and I walk towards her, sitting beside her.

"Sunshine," I start, being interrupted by her cries. The tears streaming down her face make me feel a thousand times worse.
"I can't do it." She lets a few tears run down her face before leaning into me, her head buried in my chest. I set my hand on her shoulder, moving my hand in small circles just like I do for Katniss.

"Focus on my hand." I say as she continues to take rapid and uneasy breaths. "Count how many times it goes around."

My heart aches every time I feel her gasp for air.

"They hurt my—they hurt my feelings—so bad." She stutters out in between her jagged breaths.
"Who, darling?" I ask softly. She shakes her head and I begin to play with her hair gently, continuing the circles in the other hand. "Tell me who did this and I can guarantee that they won't hurt you again."
"Everyone." She begins to cough due to how much she's been crying, and I can't take it. She's making herself sick by how upset she is.

This isn't okay. There's nothing okay about any of this.

"Try to take deep breaths for me," I whisper to her. "I'll do it with you. Breathe in slowly and hold it there." I say while taking a deep breath. I can tell she's trying by the way her cries become muted. "Breathe out slowly." I can feel her breathe onto my shirt and I feel relieved once I tell she's calmed—even if it's a minimal amount. "Do it again."

The process continues, time passing by slowly with each breath. She eventually sits up to look at me.

"Flynn was the only one who helped me," she remarks with tears lining her eyes. "The only one."
"He's always going to protect you, Willow. He deeply cares about you."