John’s point of view:
It’s been one month filled with a lot of events since that day. Firstly: my recovery. I’ve gained more and more strength back over the last couple of weeks, and I’m starting to get some weak mobility in the shoulder as well. There’s still a long way to go there, but I’m moving in the right direction I’ve been told. As long as I’ve got Sylvia standing right next to me, it doesn’t really matter. I’ll always be on the right track with her by my side.
While keeping track of my recovery, we’ve also kept our eyes on the very eye-catching trial against Katniss. Killing a President of Panem does give you a very public one at that. She doesn’t say much. During the trial, her lawyers and the Head-doctor are the ones speaking her case. Katniss herself has been all too distant through all of it. They’re going with the insanity plea because of her losing her little sister so soon before the execution. It does her good because it doesn’t send her to jail, but back to District 12 for the rest of her life.
Back to my own recovery, as mentioned I’m getting stronger. I’ve become more and more mobile. I’ve even tried to walk a little, but I get dizzy really fast. The skull-injury will be something I will drag on for quite some time I’m told. I’ll just have to get used to it for now. It will pass in a few months. I can wear my arm in a sling sitting up straight and when I try to get up on my feet, but it will take many months before my shoulder will be anywhere near what it once used to be. Even though the strength on my grip is increasing by the day, the shoulder itself will take a whole lot longer.
Sylvia’s point of view:
“Are you sure you feel strong enough to go home?” I ask him for probably the hundredth time. I’m just worried about him getting his hopes up. He’s had a long road since he woke up and there’s still a hell of a long way to go before he can be somewhat back to who he used to be. We’re both sitting on the bed as I slightly rest my head on his left shoulder. For once he’s still sitting. “Hey, I know you worry about me getting too excited, but I need to get out of here. I need us to go home.” He answers as I kiss him. “And what, get to the smell of the pine-trees?” I tease him. “You know me all too well.” He answers as he kisses me on the forehead.
As we’re sitting there for a little while fooling around as one would say, the door opens and we both turn our attention towards the door. It’s the doctor. “Mr. Wintergreen…I hear word that you wish to be released.” He says as he walks in, in front of us. “That is my hope indeed.” He answers as he holds on to my hand. “Of course…” The doctor says as he sits down in front of us. “…now, many doctors would consider one month of recovery a few weeks short…” He starts. I immediately hold on to John’s hand as he squeezes back.
“But, as it happens to be, I’ve got some assignments over in District 7 the next month so I can personally keep an eye on your recovery. You’ve been recovering extremely well since you woke up so I am not concerned about any relapses. Your headaches will come and go, but they’ll go away after a few more weeks of mobility.” He says as I sense John’s smiling right next to me. “So I would have no problems with releasing you from the hospital here, seeing that I can see you on a daily basis in District 7.” He then says as I can sense John slightly chuckling at it. “You have no idea how relieved I am to hear that…” John then says as I look over at him and smile.
“Finally we can go home…” I let out as John turns towards me and kiss me on the lips. “So, when do we leave?” He then asks as he turns to the doctor. The doctor turns to check some of his papers it seems. “Well, at best tomorrow morning. I have a few more patients to tend to here before leaving. We’ll go by train so it’s quite a trip.” He then answers. “I’ll see you both tomorrow morning.” He then says as he leaves the room and it’s just the two of us left.
“Well…we are going home.” He then says as he turns towards me, pulling my chin up and leads his lips towards mine, kissing me. “We are definitely going home…” I answer with a grin on my face as I kiss him back. “Now, you’ve got some work to do when you get home.” I then say smiling at him. “Is that so?” He turns back towards me. “Well, I want that shoulder of yours to be as good as it can be, before I let you put another ring on my finger.” I say as cling to his left shoulder. He leans down and kisses me passionately. “Well, then I guess I better get to work.” John then answers. “Good, because you’re not getting any until you have.” I warn him as I see him slightly squirm.
~ 8 months later, in District 7 ~
They were both at the center of attention. Sure they were both a little uneasy about it, but it was all of the same and the right reasons. They had just poured their hearts out in front of the people closest to them and now they were just spending their time celebrating. John’s shoulder had gone through a very slow recovery, but he was determined to make it last through the day. For now it was doing really well. He was containing whatever pain he felt with prescribed painkillers.
It was time for their first dance. Of course Sylvia wasn’t really the type for this, but John had managed to get her engaged in it considering he was working so hard on his shoulder. Considering she held back a lot of physicality on him, at least they could practice on the dancing together. “So, you think your shoulder can handle a little bit of dancing?” Sylvia asked him as they got into position. “Oh, I promise you, it’s ready to handle more than just a little dancing.” He answered smiling as they leaned against each other and kissed. Of course the crowd was cheering for them.
“Well, I did have some plans for tonight so it better be ready to handle it.” She answered smiling as if she had never smiled before. John looked at her for a moment as if it was the very first time he did. “What?” She asked as they were moving slowly on the floor. “It’s just…your smile. It just gets to me…it’s almost like I’ve never seen you smile before.” John had to admit he was working against his pressing emotions at that point. “You look beautiful…even without a wedding-dress.” John pointed out as he knew what to expect from her on that day. “Well, there’s a big reason why I’m smiling…” She let out before John leaned down to kiss her again.
The night passed by in a flash as people were leaving and it was getting late. Sylvia and John were saying the last goodbyes and eventually sat down, Sylvia on top of John’s lap. John was sensing a sting of pain in his shoulder, but he was trying his best to keep it under control. “So, now it’s just you and me.” She then said as she looked down on him. “That sounds kind of perfect after today.” John answered smiling as Sylvia noticed his tensed face. “Are you sure that shoulder is alright? You look a little tense.” She then asked him. “I might have stretched my luck a little bit…but it’ll be alright though!” John made sure to clarify.
Sylvia smiled at him as she for once actually had to bend to kiss him. “Come on, let’s go home…” She then said as she grabbed John’s hand and they made the short way from the tent back up to their village. It was no longer the Victor’s Village, it was just a village. All sorts of people now lived up here as well. The sky above them was clear. They could see every possible star above them. The two of them stopped by the house for a second, just to take it all in.
“It feels like the sky was almost made like this for us.” She said after a while. John put his arms around her from behind as she leaned back onto him. “Maybe someone up there wanted to get a look at what was going on down here.” He then pointed out as Sylvia turned thoughtful for a little while. “Yeah, I hope so…” She let out thoughtfully after a while. “Hey, I know they are all proud of you, whoever it is that you think about when you look up at a sky full of stars.” John then spoke weakly into her ears before he kissed her cheek. She smiled lightly to herself. “I know…” She answered.
After a moment she turned towards him. “As I’m sure that your family and Marge is just as proud of you.” She looked at him smiling. He kissed her softly on the lips. “I know…” He answered as it turned quiet between the two of them. Sylvia looked down for a moment as if she didn’t know how to say this. “Hey…are you alright?” He then asked her after a while. “I’m fine, I just…” She started, but she found it hard to speak. She stepped closer to his chest before her head up towards him. “I think there’s one loss that haunts me more than the other ones…” She finally said as John nodded weakly. “Yeah, I know…” He answered as he kissed her forehead.
“I wouldn’t be against the idea of…you know…trying to…” She led him on. John looked at her stunned for a moment. They had never really talked about that the last 8 months. “I guess you get what I’m trying to say here…it’s getting a little bit too weepy for me.” She tried to say bravely. John chuckled lightly as he pulled her body closer to his. “I get it…and I’m all for it.” He smiled as they kissed even more passionately as it lasted on through the night…
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A/N: ONE more chapter to go before the story-line of John and Sylvia WINTERGREEN ends! Make sure you catch up! It's quite an adorable ending to a story filled with a lot of pain and losses. Stay TUNED!