California Love

Chapter 39: Next To You

Peeta's POV

"Son, you need to go back to the hotel. Have a shower, eat something-"

"I'm not leaving her. Forget it." I interrupt my dad and focus on Katniss' weak hand in mine. Her peaceful face is still beautiful even though she is so close to death. "Peeta, please, just-"

"I said no." I say without looking at him and I hear him sigh. I hear more footsteps and I turn to see my mother walking into the hospital room. "What the hell are you doing here?" I growl at her and she looks close to tears. The strict look on her face has been replaced by one of sadness and worry.

"Peeta, I'm so sorry, I swear I didn't mean-"

"Mean to put Katniss through a near death situation?" I question her and a look of hurt crosses her face. "Peeta, she's going to be okay now." She says and I shake my head. "I hope and pray that she will, but its not definite. That heart monitor could change any minute." I say icily and I see a tear slip out of her eye.

"Peeta, I've changed. I've learnt my lesson, I swear. I'll be a good mother from now on." She begs and I shake my head to get rid of the tears.

"Are you seriously telling me that it took almost killing my girlfriend and child for you to realise that there's something wrong with you?" I snap angrily. "Peeta," my dad warns, but I ignore him.

"I don't think you realise how much she means to me. It's our one year in a few weeks and I was going to propose to her. You know how happy that would have made both of us." I say and don't try to stop the tears.

"Peeta, I'm sorry. I know you won't forgive me now, but please, think about it." She says before walking up to Katniss and brushing her hand over her hair. I resist the impulse to shove her hand away so as I don't accidentally knock or hurt Katniss. She leaves the room silently and my father and I sit in the quiet room for a few moments before he speaks up. "I'm gonna go down and get some food. Do you want some?" I shake my head.

Dad sighs. "Peeta, you need to eat. You haven't eaten at all since the accident. You're a mess. Do you really think Katniss would want you to behave like this?" I scoff. "No, she'd kick my ass." I say glumly and Dad chuckles. "Exactly. I'll bring you back some food." I sigh, defeated. I'm not in the mood to argue.

Five minutes after Dad has left, I hear a lot of people coming down the hall, and not ten seconds later they all burst through the door, immediately silencing. I stare at our friends with tears in my eyes. "Hey guys," I say weakly and Annie is the first to speak. "Oh my God." She gasps when she sees Katniss. She breaks down in tears and rushes over and hugs me tightly. Delly and Johanna hug me too and I think I see a tear slip out of Johanna's eye. That's a first. "I can't believe it," Finnick says in astonishment. "She actually went across the ocean for you." I look over Annie's shoulder, who is clutching my shirt tightly as she sobs.

"She travelled on a small boat across dangerous seas to get to you. Peeta, I don't think I realised how much she really loved you until now. She would die for you. You know what that means, right?" She says and I nod sadly. It means that if she ever wakes up, there is no way I'm ever going to make it up to her. Ever.

"Peeta, I'm so sorry." Cato says as he pries a sobbing Annie off my shoulder and hands her to Finnick. "I just...I just want her to wake up. She still thinks I'm dead. She didn't reach Australia before she found out my mother lied to her. I need to see her eyes, see her awake." I say quietly and everyone gathers around her bed holding onto one another. Delly reaches out and takes my hand, the one that isn't holding Katniss'.

"Thanks guys." I sniff and at that moment my dad walks back in. "Hey guys," he says, not looking the least bit surprised to see them. He probably saw them on the way to the cafe.

"Here Peeta. Eat, it will help." He says, handing me a sandwich and a juice. I let go of Delly's hand since there is no way im letting go of Katniss'. I pry open the sandwich container and slowly take a bite. The bread and salad tastes like cardboard in my mouth. I don't want to eat. I'm not hungry. I put the sandwich down on the table and lean over to kiss Katniss' forehead.

"So, Australia's nice, what we've seen so far." Delly says, awkwardly trying to make conversation, but everyone ignores her. I rest my head on the pillow beside Katniss. I kiss her cheek softly before closing my eyes and falling asleep.

I wake up with a start when I hear a long, everlasting, screeching beep. I sit bolt upright and my eyes widen with horror when I see the heart monitor jumping between beating and the line going flat.

I scream out for help and notice that our friends have all left. I frantically punch the 'call' button and scream louder when the heart monitor stays in one line. I run out into the hallway screaming for help. About six nurses and doctors come rushing down the hallway and into Katniss' room slamming the door behind them. "Hey!" I yell and bang on the door, screaming for them to let me in.

I can hear their frantic voices as they rush around in there. After about half and hour, I am sitting weakly on the floor outside the door, tears falling as I bury my face in my hands. I hear the squeak of the door and I look up to see the nurses and doctors walk out looking very tired and weary. I stand up immediately.

"Is she okay? Please tell me she's okay. Is the baby okay?" I ask frantically. The nurse at the front reaches up and puts a hand on my shoulder, her gaze full of sympathy.

"She and the baby are perfectly fine. We were able to jump start her heart and eveything is back how it was." I sigh with relief and she holds up her hand to signal that there's more.

"She is still very weak and you need to be prepared to expect the worst. She still hasn't woken up yet." She says with a downcast face and they leave me there outside the half-open door.

Taking a deep breath, I walk back into the room. She looks just the same as she did before the attack; still beautiful, her hair in a messy braid and her face pale and showing signs of weakness.

"I love you," I whisper to her and I reach out and gently lift the oxygen mask to place a gentle kiss to her lips. They feel cold and the thought of her really dying and leaving me here alone sinks in. Really sinks in. I'm afriad she will die, more afraid than usual. I don't know if I could ever continue life the same way.

I replace the oxygen mask and sit down next to her. And it's so faint I'm not sure I hear it correctly, nor am I sure if I saw correctly when her lips twitched under the mask and I heard her rasp the word, "Love."

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Edited by SunshineRainbow7

So I'm sorry for the boring filler chapter. Soon I'm actually going to skip forward in time because I'm running out of ideas for current time!