Hunger Games - Extended epilogue

Chapter Five

"Still feeling on the bad side?" He asks me, genuinely conscious about my feelings.

"No, I feel a littleokay now that it's out of my system."

"You still need to rest. See how you feel soon."

"Okay." I agree, groggily.

He gives me a small peck on the forehead, gently rubbing his thumb on my temple before turning on his heels and leaving through the door.

I expect he's gone to complete a few things down in his bakery.

In the districts recovery, Peeta rebuilt and reopened his families bakery.

It's not much of a place to sell bread. But it still does it for him, anythings better than nothing to him. I think, to him, baking bread is a type of meditation of sorts. In his own way, it helps take his mind off of things and sets his head straight. Still recovering from the hijacking, baking his bread is something he remembers from his earliest memories and helps him keep in touch with his old self and find his centre of gravity again when he feels lost.

The district is still getting itself together after the bombings. Some resources we get from the Captiol, such as building materials. Other things are second-hand wreckage that survived the bombings. Every day, people keep themselves busy by tidying up the district. Picking up old wreckage, and they take it to a place they've set up by the fence of the woods. I've heard, anyways. Greasy Sae keeps me updated, letting me know it's always there for me to join them. They sort through wreckage, deciding what's useful and what is too far gone and goes to rubbish or is recycled. Another new system in place that commences next month in District 2 for materials to become recycled and remade with proper machinery.

We aren't all on our own though. District 13 helps us with money and the housing for citizens, as well as medical attention when needed. If anyone is sick, usually they are sent to Thirteen for medical help, but for more serious cases, a District 2 hovercraft is flown in and takes the person to their district. That goes for every district.

People from Thirteen also come in to keep busy too, constructing new homes, buildings, meeting areas. Some discuss and finalize plans and others are the hands-on who build the places with the material others are donating from the rubble.

I hear footsteps trail up the stairs, the thump on each and every step echoing around the house.

"Hey." He smiles at me.

"Hi."

"How are you feeling?" He asks as he places a damp cloth on my forehead, attempting to cool me down but honestly I don't feel a change. My head wasn't hot to begin with.

"I'm feeling fine." I tell him, pulling the cloth off of my forehead, sitting up to face him.

He sits down on the edge, nearly on my legs.

And I don't lie to him. I actually feel fine. My stomach has gone back to it's normal self as well as my head.

"I want to get up." I insist.

He agrees, knowing there's no use telling me otherwise, and holds my small hand in his as guidance as I stand up.

"Really Peeta, I'm okay."

He nods, leaving me to my own devices as I head for the bathroom.

Turning the hot water tap on in the wide bath, I quickly brush my teeth in the sink, awaiting the tub to fill up. The steam arising tells me it's hot enough, and I turn the cold tap on to neutralize the temperature.

I feel so grateful for the hot water, after defeating the Captiol, most of the districts homes were granted solar panels that collected sun radiation. As the buildings are gradually being built, our district is becoming more and more solar healthy with the