I never knew that there could be so much noise in one place. The anthem blares as the crowd goes wild. Caesar Flickerman says his greetings to the audience and I find myself tapping my foot in anticipation. I wish they would hurry so I could reunite with my true love, my soon to be wife, the person I can spend the rest of my life with, for real this time.
"And now for this years victors. The star-crossed lovers from District Twelve, Katnidd Everdeen and Peeta Mellark!"
The crowd screams, but my heart is beeing too loud in my chest for me to hear them. I walk calmly out at first, but one look at my beautiful fiancèe in a radiant yellow dress makes me break into a run. We both crash into each other at the middle of the stage. We clong to each other, never feeling this happy before. At least, not in a long time. "I love you so, so much." I whisper and start to kiss her. After a fe minutes have passed, Caesar taps on my shoulder. I playfully push him aside and don't break our kiss. The audience goes crazy again.
Finally, Haymitch gives us a good natured push toward the victor's chair. Chair isn't the right word. It is originally one, but this time it's a couch big enough for the two of us.
I sit down gently. Katniss kicks iff hrr sandles and practically lays down, resting her head on my shoukder and snuggling into my sode. I wrap my arm around her hand kiss her hair.
Caesar starts off with a few jokes and them jumps right into the main event, which happens to be a recap of the Games; a highlight of our living Hell.
As soon as the lights dim, Katniss grabs my empty hand in both of hers and hides her face in my side.
After the showing of the horrid Games, I see something else. Something I didn't know happened. Katniss crying and desperately trying to get to me while I was being operated on. It breaks my heart, but lets me know just how much she loves me.
The anthem plays again as President Snow himself walks on stage, followed by who I think is his young granddaughter. She's maybe six, and even for a Capitol citizen, she's adorable. She reminds me, once again, of how badly I want to have kids. Maybe now I can. The only hurdle is getting Katniss to agree. Okay, maybe this will be harder than I thought.
Snow only holds one crown. The crowd goes completely berserk trying to figure out whose head it will rest on. Snow snaps it in half without much effort. He places the first one on my forehead with a smile. Even looking the beat he can, he can't hide the evil, snake like appearance that he always has. How can the people in the Capitol be so oblivious to this? Are they just used to it, or too blind to see it over their expensive treasures? Maybe they know, but don't care.
He still smiles as he places Katniss's half on her head. I have to force myself to remain calm and not to push him away from her. I don't want him anywhere near her. Not when he can give death with a flick of his wrist.
The waving that follows almost makes me want to cut off my hand too, just so I never have to wave again. After a lifetime, Caesar bids the audience goodnight and reminds them to watch tomorrow's final interview. As if they had a choice.
Katniss and I are ushered to the President's Mansion for the Victory Banquet, where we hardly get to eat at all. The whole thing is pretty much a bunch of sponsors pushing each other out of the way to get their picture with us. I never let go of Katniss's hand and pray that I don't have food on my face.
Dawn just begins to break as we make it back to the Penthouse. I think that I finally get some time alone with my fiancée, when Haymitch send her off with Cinna to get fitted for our next interview. He then personally escorts me to my door.
"Why can't I talk to her?" I ask.
"Plenty of time to talk when we get home, new neighbor." He grumbles, referring to our chat back in the cave. "Go to bed. You're on air at two."
I open the door, walk in, and leave my new neighbor in the hallway.
Whether Haymitch wants to or not, I'm determined to see Katniss privately. After laying down, with no sleep, for a few hours, I slip quietly into the hall. I try to turn the knob to her door, but it's been locked from the outside. I curse Haymitch's name.
I go back to my room and wait until morning, feeling withdrawn. Relief floods through every inch of me when Effie comes to tell me tjat it's the start of another "Big, big, big day!"
I'm served food as soon as my stylist arrives, but I don't eat on account of worry and excitement. Portia pushes my bowl of hot grain away from me. "How about we just start on your preping?"
I nod softly as she unzips the bag containing my outfit for this evening. Crisp red pants accompanied by a red shirt and white overcoat cover up my bare body. She touches up my make-up and looks me straight in the eyes. "The interview has already started. Go to the sitting room. Say hi to Katniss for me, will ya?"
"Certainly." I smile.
She pats my shoulder and gives me another heart warming smile. "Good luck, Baker Boy." She reaches in her pocket and takes out my mockingjay pin. She hands it to me. "And don't forget this again. I'm getting tired of finding it." She winks before exiting the room.
I pin the mockingjay on my lapel. Looking in the mirror, satisfied, I make my way to the sitting room.
The first thing I see is Katniss in a beautiful white dress. It's a little poofy, but otherwise, I could picture her in something like that on our wedding day. That thiught puts butterflies in my stomach. "I hardly get to see you. Haymitch seems to be keeping us appart." I observe.
She smiles weekly. "Yes, he's gotten very responsible lately."
"Well, there's just this and we go home. Then he can't watch us all the time." I smile and wiggle my eyebrows.
She blushes as I sit down next to her. I pull her close to me and she lays her feet on the couch. Cuddled into my side, she's practically laying down.
Someone counts backwards, and then we're broadcasted to the whole of Panem. Caesar is the same as always, teasing, joking, being his bubbly self. I catch on quickly and throw out some of my own jokes when needed. Katniss smiles and nods, but mainly tries to avoid talking. Until it deepens into something she can't ignore, something I want to hear, myself.
"Well, Peeta, we know from your days in the Capitol, that it was love at first sight for you from what, five?" Caesar smiles.
"Yes. From the moment I first laid eyes on her." I reply and hold my Katniss a little closer.
"And Katniss, when did you realize that you were in love with him?"
"That's a hard one," she starts. "It was so long ago." She thinks for a moment before answering, "When we were eleven, he saved my life, and something just clicked. I've seen him around school a lot, and I have to admit, I've kept tabs on the baker's son. There's just something about him that I've always loved, I think. I just wouldn't admit it until things got a little more personal between us."
Caesar has to take out his handkerchief and take a moment becuase he's so moved. I incline my and Katniss's foreheads. "So now that you've got me, what are you going to do with me?"
"Put you somewhere wher you can't get hurt." We smile and I kiss her. Everyone in the room sighs.
Caesar decides to change the topic to the mutts. Lovely. He starts on the burns and tracker jacker stings, but the attention is given when Caesar asks how my new leg is working out.
"New leg?" Katniss asks. She reaches down and pulls up the bottom of my pants. "No." She whispers, looking at the fake,leg.
"No one told you?" Caesar asks softly.
"I haven't had the chance." I reply, gingerly as well.
"It's my fault." Katniss says. "Becuase I used that tourniquet."
"Yes, it's your fault I'm alive." I counter.
"He's right." Caesar says. "He'd have bled to death for sure without it."
Katniss hides, cuddles into my,side for most of the interview. She doesn't receive any questions until the berries come up.
"Katniss, I know you've had a shock, but I've still got to ask. The moment when yiu pulled out those berries. What was going on in your mind.....hm?" He asks.
"I-I don't know, I just...couldn't bear the thought of living a single second without him."
"Peeta? Anything to add?" asks Caesar.
I grab her hand. "I love you, Katniss."
"I love you, too."
Caesar gets a little choked up, but then it's all over. We're whisked off to the Penthouse, where we,collect our few things. Afterwards, they drive us through the street in a car with blackened windows to the train that is waiting to take us home. We barely have time to,say goodbye to Cinna and Portia, even though we'll see them soon, when we have our Capitol wedding. Even if we'll be officially married in the Capitol, we'll have the toasting at home. Both times, we'll be surrounded by family and friends. They're allowing us to bring them to the Capitol for the event. I can't wait for Prim to try all the food.
The train begins to move, and I have my first true feeling of excitement sense before the Reaping. We eat an enormous dinner and sit down to watch the replay of the interview. Katniss cuddles up to me the same way she did on screen, with her head resting on my shoulder and her body snuggled into my side. As we get closer and closer to home, I can't stop thinking about all the good things that will soon come my way. Prim, our friends, a huge house, plenty of money, never a day without a full belly, a beautiful wife, and maybe even a kid or two. Maybe. Hopefully.
Katniss and I excuse ourselves to go change out of our formal clothes and into plain shirts and pants. I sit on the bed and watch as she washes off her make-up. She braids her hair in her signature braid, slowly transforming into her old self. "There's the beautiful girl I fell in love with." I remark and walk up behind her. I hug her from behind and look at our embrace in the mirror.
"And the handsome man who stole my heart." She replies and turns to face me. "Well, except that you're missing a scar...and a leg."
I chuckle. "I hope that doesn't change anything."
"Nothing but the fact that we're victors and can have a better life together."
"I like that change. It was worth a leg." I smile and connect our lips. Warmth spreads through me and happiness soon follows.
The kiss leaves me wanting another when the train suddenly stops. We make our way to the dining car, where we're informed that the train is stopping briefly for fuel. In this time, we're aloud to go outside for some fresh air. We make our way outside and walk hand in hand down the rail. I spot a patch of wild flowers and stop to pick her some. They are a mix of primroses and violets. She lets out a laugh at the irony. I smile, too.
She looks like,she just got stabbed and turns around at lightning speed. With a shocked look, I do the same. "Good job, you two. I was hoping to get one of you out, but both of you was than I could bargain for. I'm going to get a drink. Want one?"
"No, thank you." I answer.
He pats my shoulder as a way of saying congratulations, and that's when I notice it. My hearing is back. I smile wider.
He escapes back onto the train. The engine roars to life as we make our way back inside. Every second that the light gets darker, I grow more tired. It's not that much later that Katniss and I are sleeping together again, just in a real bed this time.
I'm awoken by Effie rapping on the door and telling us to get ready. That we'll be back in Twelven in about an hour.
I shoot straight up in bed and shake Katniss awake. "Get up, Kitty Kat. We're almost home!" I excite.
She roles over and presses a pillow over her eyes. I barely hear her say, "Wake me,up when we get there." I rip the covers off of her. She lets out a tiny yelp and curls up, trying to keep herself warm. "What is wrong with you?"
"You need to get ready." I chuckle. "I'll even pick out your clothes for you."
As she tries her hardest to fall back asleep, I lay a pair of jeans and a forest green shirt at the edge of the bed. I take a quick shower and dress in a pair of jeens and a black, quarter sleeve shirt.
When I step out, I see that Katniss fell back asleep shirtless, with her pants halfway up her legs. I laugh harder than I should have before waking her up again. She opens her eyes slowly. "Were you, um, in the middle of something?" I smirk, looking down to her half bare legs.
"Unfortunately." She answers and pulls her pants up the rest of the way. After that, she dresses in her silky, sleeveless shirt. Beautiful doesn't even begin to describe her appearance.
We make our way to the dinning car for breakfast. While we wait, Katniss sits on my lap and lets me braid her hair. Our mentor and escort join us and we indulge a nice breakfast of something Effie called a "danish" and some fruit. Just as I clear my plate, we pull into District Twelve.
Anxiety builds up in my chest. I need to see Prim, Twelve, our new house, everything.
Katniss jumps up and I follow her to the window. The entire place may be gray and dirty, but it's home. And hoke is way better than any Capitol ever could be.
I look to Katniss. She's smiling wider than I've ever seen her smile before. She's beyond happy. She's back in paradise.
I hold out my hand to her and mimic her smile. "Just a few minutes, and our new lives begin."
And she grabs my hand, knowing that she'll never have to let go.
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God. It's over. I've died a little. I've got another part to publish before it's completely over, though. Sequel news will be up in a few!
Good luck, and may the odds be ever in your favor.
-Deanna