Chapter 34: You Love Me, Real or Not Real

Katniss' POV

I sit trembling in a chair, staring at the woman staring back at me in the mirror. Soft white silk covers her slender frame and a light amount of make up covers her cheeks. The women in the mirror reassembles me, but she doesn't show the broken, shattered child that lies beneath the powder and silk. Delly stands behind me, trying to get my unruly mass of curls into some kind of order when we hear a soft knock on the door. Delly goes to answer it and the person who walks through the door.

My mother with her pale eyes and hair walks across the wooden floor of prep room of the Justice Building. She stops behind me and I see a silent tear runs down her cheek.

"Your father and sister would have loved to see this," she murmured softly. I stand up and face her.

"So you made it. In the letter you sent you did sound so sure," I say.

"That was before Annie went into labor two weeks early," she says handing me a photograph. My mother had been taking care of Annie through the last trimester of her pregnancy, supporting her as she got closer to giving birth, missing Finnick more everyday, "It's a boy. She named him after his father," The picture shows a little red faced baby, with same green eyes as his father, lies in his mother's arms. Annie looks down at him with happy tears running down her cheeks,"She wished she could have come, but it wasn't an easy birth and she's on bed rest,"

"He's gorgeous. How is she doing without Finnick?" I ask.

"Some days are better than others, but she's getting through it. Before the baby was born, she cried herself to sleep almost every night, and then she would wake up screaming for him. Now that she has her baby, she doesn't cry as often, but sometimes I find her holding a picture of him, talking to him, but that's better than I could have hoped for considering all the mental trams she's endured," my mother says.

"That's good," I say sitting back down and turning towards the mirror. She looks at me in the mirror and smiles sadly.

"Katniss, would you let me put up your hair one last time?" She asks shyly.

"I would love that," I say giving her the first genuine smile I've given her in years. She gently brushes through my hair and braids it up into the intricate bun she did for my reaping. Delly walks over with my veil and my mother gently pins it in place and drapes it over my face. I stand up and turn to face her. She kisses my cheek and leaves quietly, the shiny floorboards creaking under her feet. Delly gently pins my Mockingjay pin on and clips the necklace Peeta gave me for Christmas around my neck. She hands me my bouquet of primroses, rue, and dandelions tied with a soft orange ribbon. She gently takes my hand.

"Katniss, I know your nervous but you really shouldn't be. When we were little, he always used to talk about how beautiful you were and how he wished he could work up the courage to talk to you. And I can tell you he's probably pacing in that room across the building right now. But you both will be fine. You guys really deserve this. Good luck Katniss, your escort should be here to fetch you in a few minutes," She says and walks out the door.

I start to pace back and forth and finally find myself looking out the window across the newly healed District 12. Ash still covers some areas but others have started to grow green again newly built businesses and homes decorate the streets. My home had become a beautiful place again, as though it were rising from the ashes of the world we once knew. I'm lost in my thoughts until I here someone cough behind me.

"Well Sweetheart, this is a sight I never thought I'd see. You more nervous then that boy out there," Haymitch says walking over to me. I look at him with a questioning look.

"He's not nervous?" I ask slightly shocked. According to Delly, last she knew he had been a bundle of nerves.

"He's terrified, but that doesn't mean he's not putting on a brave face for you," he says,"So you ready?"

"As I'll ever be," I say slipping my hand into the crook of his arm. He gently leads me out of the room and down the hall we stand outside the door to the room where Peeta and I will sign the papers and officially become man and wife under the witness of our friends and mostly adopted family. I hesitate, not letting Haymitch open the door just yet.

"Something wrong?" he asks. I shake my head.

"No, I'm just wondering if you have any last minute advice," I say.

"Yeah, don't screw up the kiss. Now let's go get you hitched," he says pushing the door open as I let out a small chuckle and allow him to slowly lead me towards Peeta, the new mayor, and the marriage license. Peeta smiles wider as I finally reach him, and I'm sure the smile is reflected on my face. Haymitch places my hand in Peeta's.

"Good luck boy. You've got a handful with this one," He says patting Peeta's back and taking a seat between my mother and Johanna Mason. The mayor stands in front of us and chuckles.

"You two ready?" he asks. Peeta and I look at each other. I blush and look down at our playfully swinging joined hands smiling.

"I think we are," Peeta says. After being separated for the night, it is amazing to hear his voice again. The mayor nods and brings out two rings and a quill with an ink well.

"Peeta, do you take this lovely young woman, Miss Katniss Everdeen, to be your lawfully wedded wife?" he asks. Peeta looks into my eyes.

"I do," he replies smiling at me.

"Then you may place the ring on her finger," the mayor says. Peeta gently takes my left hand in his and slides the simple gold band on my finger. He then brings my hand to his lips and gently kisses my knuckles like had that night in the cave. The night had shown me the first affection that I had suspected was genuine.

"Now Katniss," the mayor continues, "Do you take this young man, Mr. Peeta Mellark, to be your lawfully wedded husband?" I smile at Peeta.

"I do," I say softly.

"Then you may place the ring on his finger," the mayor says softly. I gently place the ring on his finger and give his hand a gentle squeeze."Will every one stand as they sign the license," the mayor continues and I hear a shuffle behind me as Peeta signs his name. He hands me the quill and I sign my new name, ending the k in Mellark with a flourish. We turn to face each other and hear the mayor finishes.

"It is my honor and privilege to introduce to you all for the very first time, Mr. and Mrs. Peeta Mellark. You may kiss the bride," Peeta gently lifts my veil and kisses me sweetly and passionately. We then turn to the small population of people that have gathered to witness this all and Peeta intertwines our fingers and raises our hands high in the air.

The room erupts in applause and as Peeta begins to lead us out I notice all the people who have gathered. Effie Trinket and my old prep teams all look like they have been bawling and my mother doesn't look like she faired much better. Johanna Mason gives me a mischievous grin and Haymitch simply gives us an approving nod. It's not until we get to the doors that lead outside though, that I see the large stature of my former hunting partner standing in front of me. He almost seems to ignore me though, and speaks directly to Peeta.

"You take care of her, guard her with your life, because I swear if you break her heart or let anything happen to her, I swear to God I'll kill you," he says.

"I'll protect her with my life," Peeta says simply. Gale just nods curtly and then turns his attention to me.

"You look lovely Catnip," he says.

"Thank you," I say meeting his eyes.

"I've got to be going but I figured I'd say goodbye to the lucky couple before, and on that note I bid you so long," he says before walking away disappearing into the crowd behind us, most likely leaving through the back door. Knowing I may never see him again, a tear slides down my cheek that I quickly wipe away. Peeta finally gets my attention back by squeezing my hand gently.

"You ready?" he asks.

"For the rest of our lives, of course I am," I say as I open the door and see the whole of District 12 lining the streets that will lead Peeta and I home. We walk through the streets on our way home, being showered in flower petals and mint leaves as we walk past children and adults alike.

When we reach the door, I notice the crowd that has gathered behind me. The whole district has gathered to witness this moment. Peeta opens the door and I toss my wilting bouquet to the crowd and see that Delly had caught it and I find her making a shy glance at Thom, one of the former mine workers who had become a very successful contractor.

Slightly scaring me, Peeta sweeps me off my feet and as he carries me through the door, I hear the whole district erupt in the traditional song that I had heard a few times before, but never with so much joy and hope. Peeta closes the door quietly and as we hear the crowd start to move away, they still sing softly as they leave to celebrate on their own, leaving the newly weds to settle in.

"I've never seen them so joyful," Peeta says finally as he lays wood in the fire for our toasting.

"I have, but only once, not to long ago," I say.

"When?" he asks as he lights the fire and sets the plate with the piece of bread on it near the fire.

"At Annie and Finnick's wedding, in 13," I say solemnly, trying not to spark something with Peeta, but I see a slightly clouded look appear in his eyes.

"I decorated the cake for them, Real or Not Real?" he asks.

"Real, I had thought you were getting better when I saw it. I confronted Haymitch and he said you had asked to see me. But, when we were talking, you purely curious as to what you had seen while watching tapes from our games, I started to lose my patience because you were seeing me for what I was and kinda stormed out. Its also the night I almost gave up hope. But part of me could never have let you go," I say as I pierce the bread with a fork and hand it to Peeta to toast over the fire. His eyes lose the clouded look and as he holds the bread over the fire, he starts to speak again.

"Katniss, you know I don't like the person I was then. I wasn't seeing very clearly and wasn't rational in the least. Yeah your stubborn, but I was also asking questions you really didn't know how to answer then." he says and then pulls the lightly toasted bread out of the fire. He breaks it in half and hands me one of the pieces. We feed it to each other, and just lIke anyone I had ever heard talk about marriage says. Thats when it really sinks in.

I'm married. I'm married to my boy with the bread. And I couldn't be happier. We sit together for I don't know how long when I finally stand up and pull Peeta up with me. I lead him up to our room. I shut the door behind us and start kissing Peeta passionately. He responds and and holds me close to him. He pulls away after a short while, giving me one last out of what we both know will happen if we continue. When I don't move away he asks me the question that has become my favorite to ever come out of his mouth.

"You love me, Real or Not Real?"

"Real Peeta, It'll always be real," I say pulling him back into another kiss.

And with that we fall into the sheets and the dance that seems as old as time itself.

-----------------------------------------It has arrived. I gave you what you all have been waiting for. The Wedding! I know it was simple but in my opinion, that's what they would want, a small wedding out of the prying eyes of the Capital. I also know that some of you would have like the ending to not have stopped there and to have been more descriptive, but I have some younger readers that I do not want to scar for life with my dirty mind. Ive been working hard all week and can't wait to hear your feedback. This chapter means a lot to me and I'm so proud of all of you who have stuck by me so far. I'll leave you all to your lives now. But congrats! You made it through one of the longest chapters I'll probably ever write.

86k reads and 2k votes. You all make my life worth living.

Love y'all!Rock On!-Kayla