Not real.

Chapter Fifty One: A Family At Last

*Gale*
   I tap my foot nervously on the hospital room floor. Nadia had just come to tell us that they'd revived Katniss and she's still being stitched up, this is the room they'll bring her to. Nadia also told me that the twins are perfectly healthy and she'll bring them when Katniss wakes up.
   I just want to see her. I don't know if I completely believe Nadia after what I saw. I need to see her with my own eyes.
   Delly, Peeta, and Mason are all still here and they look about as anxious as I do. My eyes are still red and puffy. Delly went to our house and got me some new clothes, ones that weren't covered in blood, it's funny I never noticed until she pointed it out to me.
   I stand up and pace the room. What's taking so long? Is she really okay? What happened? Why can't I just see the twins now to take my mind off things?
   My thoughts are interrupted when the door opens and Katniss is brought in on a stretcher. They place her on the hospital bed and carefully make sure that the tubes connected to her arms don't tangle up, or get taken out. One of them empties blood into her system thankfully. I don't think I've ever seen someone so pale.
   Once they're done fixing things they all leave except for Nadia who goes over to Mason. I slowly approach Katniss and bring a chair over to her bedside. As I take her hand in mine I find that her skin is like ice. I press a kiss to the back of her hand before wrapping it in both of mine.
  "She should wake up in a couple of minutes. I'm going to go get the twins." Nadia tells me softly, gently touching my shoulder. I stand up, briefly letting go of Katniss's hand and hug Nadia tight.
"Thank you." I murmur. She smiles and leaves with Mason, Delly, and Peeta.
   I sit back down and brush a strand of dark hair from Katniss's face. Her eyelids flutter slightly before finally opening. The minute her eyes meet mine my vision blurs.
   She smiles softly, looking very tired. Her fingers gently reach for mine and I grab her hand in a firm grip.
"I told you not to leave me you jerk." She says softly, smirking. I smile but tears still find their way down my face. I bow my head so she won't see.
"Hey..." She murmurs, her hand caresses my cheek and I trap it there with my own hand.
"You died." I whisper. She slowly sits up, wincing a little, and takes my face in her hands, pressing her forehead to mine.
"I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere. Fight together, Die together."
I kiss her long and hard, reassuring myself that she's there and that she's alive. When I pull away, she winces again. I place a hand behind her neck and slowly lower her back down. Suddenly her eyes widen with fear and her hands fly to her stomach.
"The twins! What happened?! Where are they!?" She grabs at my hands, searching my face for answers.
"Hey, it's okay, they're okay. Nadia's bringing them." I tell her and a wave of relief goes over her face.
   As if on cue Nadia comes in the door with another nurse, each carrying a twin wrapped in a blanket. And then suddenly I'm handed my daughter.
   All time stops, as she looks up at me with big grey eyes. Teardrops stain her cheeks from previous crying and I gently brush them away. As I do, her tiny fingers wrap around one of mine and she holds onto it like a lifeline. My heart swells with amazement and adoration that I haven't had for anyone except Katniss. But this is different.
   This is a tiny person in my arms and it part of me and it's part of Katniss but she's completely her own. And I get the privilege to raise her and watch her grow into her own person. I get to protect and shelter her from everything the world throws at us. I get to. How did I get so lucky as to be holding this perfect being right now? I get to love her more than anything else in this world.
   As I think about all of this I don't even notice the tears stinging my eyes. Her other hand, not occupied by my finger, reaches up and places itself upon my face. Wiping away a tear.
   "Hello Iris. I'm your dad. And I love you very much." I murmur, pressing a soft kiss to her tiny palm. She sighs, making a small noise of contentment.
   I turn to Katniss who is holding our son. The same face of complete wonderment is worn by her. I gently sit down, with Iris still in my arms, in the chair next to Katniss's bed.
   Tears run down her face and I use one hand to gently brush them away. She snaps out of her trance and smiles at me.
"They're beautiful." She murmurs pressing a kiss to Asher's forehead.
"Just like you." I say softly. She smiles and leans forward to kiss me.
"I love you." I tell her. She kisses me again.
"I love you too." Asher makes a noise of protest making Katniss turn from me.
"And I love you!" She tells him, kissing his hand. She reaches for Iris and I gently press a kiss to my daughters forehead before passing her on to her mother. Katniss then hands me Asher.
   The next few hours are spent holding our children and our love grows for them more and more. Every fear Katniss and I had ever had melts away with only one glance at our children.
   Peeta, Delly, Mason, and Nadia immediately fall in love with the twins as well. Nadia is especially grateful to us for making Asher's middle name Beck. Soon Peeta and Delly have to go home to Prim and Nadia and Mason go back to their place.
   Katniss and I are left alone with the twins once more. And as I fall asleep with Iris lying on my chest, I decide that the only time I've been this happy, before falling asleep, was when I had just woken up from my coma, and Katniss fell asleep in my arms.
  Just before my eyelids close I look over to see my wife with a sleeping Asher in her arms. The amount of love in this one room feels like it could fill the entire planet. And I only hope that it feels like this from here on out.