In The Meadow - A Hunger Games Fanfic

Chapter 1 : Home Sweet Home

I look down at my sleeping child. Dreaming. In a safe haven beyond the meadow. If only I was young. If only I had no worries for my family's safety. But of course I had Peeta to protect me. After the games, he learned a thing or two about hunting. Peeta is now not a baker's boy but a hunter, who keeps his family alive. Now that we have returned to District 12, we live in my old residence in Victor's Village. My children are safe and Peeta is there to keep me warm. So why am I so scared? I am back home but there is something in the dark. Something waiting to come out and take me away. 

        Whether it is me or reality, I can never recover from the games. Neither can Peeta. Sometimes during supper or just playing with our children, he starts to breathe heavily. The tracker jacker venom the Capitol used to hijack him, still in there messing with his brain. I know what to do now whenever it happens. I quickly rush Willow and Rye out of the room and run back to Peeta. He is now tomato red and gasping for air. I hold his hand and whisper "Stay with me." Over and over again in his ear until he responds "Always."

        Willow always asks why it happens and I quickly respond "Bad memories" although she knows it is much more. She knows about The Hunger Games and knows all about how me and Peeta were "star-crossed lovers, fighting for life and for love." But I can inform you, it is much more than that.

        After lunch, I take Willow to the woods where we shoot arrows and at our very own makeshift targets. She is now 9 years of age and becoming more and more curious. She always asks questions like "Why did daddy look like a tomato?" or "How do you get your target to look so nice?" But today was different. Her question was "Who is Prim?" As soon as I heard the name I instantly felt the burns. I felt the burns and the pain of losing her. The pain of knowing that I could have saved her. But the most painful thing was the pain of knowing she was gone. 

       My only remembrance of her was Willow. Willow Primrose Mellark. I couldn't tell her about Prim because it was too painful. The thought of saying her name made me want to cry. And I must have blacked out because as soon as I wake up, I see Peeta looking down at me. I was at home in my bed. Peeta was seated at the edge of the bed pressing a damp towelette on my forehead. I sat straight up and saw that it was dawn. Peeta had stayed up just to take care of me. Of course he did but he still has to sleep.

       "You should be sleeping, Peeta." I say quietly to not wake up sleeping Rye. "You were burning up, I needed to take care of you. And now that you're awake, open." he held a spoon up to my mouth. I tried to push it away but he managed to get it in. It was bitter. It was slimy. "What was that?" I say trying to take the taste out of my mouth. "Tree sap and katniss root. Helps with stress." he says tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. I focus on his eyes and notice the dark purple circles below them. But before I can say anything, he kisses me on the lips. I can feel the warmth of his lips against mine. We must have fallen asleep because the next thing I see is the bright yellow sun and Peeta getting dressed by the bathroom door. 

       Willow is eating toast by the furnace and Rye is playing with the toy car Peeta chiseled for him at the end of the stairs. I get up, give Peeta a kiss on the cheek and say good morning to the kids. Willow responds with muffled speech caused by her mouthful of toast and little 3 year old Rye responds with a hug. Rye Finnick Mellark is his whole name. Finnick is a fellow tribute and friend from the Quarter Quell. He died when the mutts attacked us in the underground tunnels.     His now widowed wife, Annie lives in District 13 with her son who is in his teenage years now. They live in District 13 along with Haymitch, my former mentor and Beetee and Johanna Mason, fellow tributes also from the Quarter Quell. Effie is back in the Capitol tending to her new profession as a model for Tigris, the lady that kept us safe during the breach against Snow.

        I did not kill Snow but the people that came to watch me shoot him in the heart did. It is said they beat him to death and at his old age, it didn't take long. Peeta comes down stairs and kneels down. Almost by reflex, Rye runs to him. Peeta then swings him around and then perches him into a seat at the dining room table. I feel his arm go around my waist and I turn to kiss him. I hear giggling and Peeta must have heard it too because we both turn our heads to see the children laughing hysterically. They notice that we see them and we quickly run to catch them.

       Peeta has already caught Rye, but Willow is harder to catch. There is a couch between me and her so I roll forward, swing my leg and grab Willow. As everyone stares at me in amazement I say "Katniss Everdeen has done it again." Peeta then responds "Mellark. Katniss Mellark" with a smirk. I kiss him again and then throw him an apple. He knows the drill. He puts it on his head and I grab my bow. Not my fancy bow that was used for the propos but the bow my father had made for me. That bow is in District 13 on display. I grab an arrow and position at the perfect angle that will hit the very middle of the apple. As I am about to let go of the drawstring I hear a whoosh form above me and it makes the whole ground shake. 

       We all rush outside to see jets from District 13 landing by the entrance. I can make out Johanna Mason and Haymitch coming out of the jet. And run straight towards them with Peeta following. "What are you guys doing here?" I say smiling. I hug Haymitch so long I can smell the lack of alcohol and the smell of cologne seeping into my clothing. I nod to Johanna and she says "We need your help. Heck, we need both of you guys! There has been a breach by the border and we don't know where it is coming from. You guys would be best to track it. We already have Gale." 

       Gale. I don't think I can go on a mission with Gale. I can already see Peeta looking at me through the corner of my eye. I open my mouth but nothing comes out. Peeta already knowing what I wanted to say points back at the house where Willow and Rye are waiting patiently at the stairs. "What about them?" says Peeta. Johanna looks at Haymitch obviously not thinking about our children or just not knowing at all. Haymitch being Haymitch says "We can figure something out. It's not like we are going to leave them here." Thanks for that, really helpful.

        Johanna interrupts with "They can stay in District 13! There are some daycare centers that just opened up on the 6th floor. Please lovebirds, we need you for this mission. You owe me." 'You owe me'? Really? She jabbed a knife into my wrist and gave me a concussion but yeah, sure, I owe her. Still in disbelief by her comment I turn and walk back to the kids. I can tell that they are confused by their expressions so I call Peeta. He tells Haymitch we'll think about it, but I know he didn't mean it. 

       We take Willow and Rye back into the house to try and explain but, I still see that same expression on their faces. It is around lunchtime so I make a quick sandwich for both of them and then head upstairs. As I am walking to my room, I feel the ground shake again. Peeta calls for me and I run down. Each of the houses in Victor's Village have a small basement that is hidden by a rug for emergencies. We put both of the children in there and run outside. We look around to see what is but there are no District 13 jets anywhere in sight. Peeta must have noticed I was worried because he clutches my hand. Before I do anything I start to see something coming down from the clouds. It was something I had never seen before. It wasn't the Seal of Panem but I had seen it before. 

    I had seen it at school learning about the lost countries.

------------------

I hope u guys enjoyed this!
I know that Hunger Games isn't that popular but...
Maybe we can make it?!?!

Idk lmao

Anyway...

Here is a question for u guys:

What is your favorite Hunger Games movie/book?
(This includes the new prequel The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes)

Thanks for reading!

Love u guys,
Lily <3