Peeta pov

I wake up to the noise of talking. Katniss is still asleep and no one is in here. It's coming from outside. I kiss Katniss' forehead and then get up and walk to the open window.

I glance outside to see several reporters outside. Oh no. It's already starting. I run downstairs and close all the shades and curtains. I fling open the door and step outside.

The flash from the cameras blind me, so I put up my hand to block my eyes as I yell,"GO AWAY! YOURE INVADING THE PRIVACY OF ME AND MY WIFE!"

People are pushed to the side as they ask me several questions but it's too much for me to focus. I feel a hand on me and hear Haymitch right in my ear,"BOY WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING? GO INSIDE."

He opens the door and pushes me inside. I can hear him yelling from inside. But he's holding the door so I can't open It.

"No! No! No!" I scream as I hit the wall. I can feel myself slipping away. Everything is becoming fuzzy. And black.

"Peeta?" I can hear her voice. Mutt. I can feel her hands on me. Don't fight her. She's your wife. She's your wife. You love her. You love her.

"Deep in the meadow, under the willow."

I can hear her soft voice echoing in my brain. She continues to sing but I'm brought back to a simpler time. There's no shininess to this memory.

"Does anyone know the valley song?" Mrs Higgerson asks. She was our kindergarten music teacher. I was never good at singing. But then I saw her hand shoot right up into the air.

Red and black plaid covered her dress and she had her raven hair in two braids. And her grey eyes lit up the room.

"What's your name, sweetie?"

"Katniss Everdeen."

Even her speaking voice was soft and sweet. My dad had pointed her out to me before we got to school. He said he was in love with her mother once but she was in love with a coal miner from the seam. She use to be his best friend.

"Alright, dear, how about you sing It for us," the teacher said. And then she sang And I felt the whole earth stop. My dad once said her fathers singing would make the birds stop singing.

And then and there I fell in love with her...

"Peeta?" I hear her call. She has stopped singing. I don't know how long it's been or even what I did. All I know is I'm laying in the ground curled up in her lap. Her fingers run through my hair as I grip to her shirt.

"Did I hurt you? Did I do anything-"

"No...no but if you don't let go of my shirt you might rip It,"She says.

"Sorry,"I say.

She runs her fingers through my hair and kisses me. "You didn't do anything."

"What happened?" I ask her as I sit up.

"I came downstairs to find you having a flashback. So I wrapped my arms around you and sang until you relaxed and blacked out."

"Where's Haymitch?"

"In the kitchen with my parents."She says.

I slowly sit up and place my hand on her cheek. "I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry about."

"I can't control myself, Katniss."

"But you did. You didn't break anything. You didn't hurt me."

I stand up and then I put out my hands to help Katniss up. When we go into the kitchen, Katniss takes a seat and leans against my chest. I wrap my arms around her and place my hands on her stomach.

Haymitch stands in the corner. One hand on his chin the other in his belt loop. He looks...sad.

"What happened?" I ask Haymitch.

"They wouldn't go away without a story."

"Haymitch, you didn't have to-"Delilah starts but he just holds up his hand and shakes his head.

"Those damn reporters don't know common curtesy. They don't know what it's like to always have a camera in your face and your name up on the tv. To have every precious moment of your like blasted for everyone to see. They don't know privacy."

"Haymitch-"I start. But he cuts me off.

"I don't want to talk about It, boy."

With that he walks out. I go to follow after him, but Katniss grabs my arm and shakes her head. I look to her parents for advice.

Her father sighs and says,"he sacrificed everything for you two."

"He gave away the only thing that the capitol didn't touch." Her mom says.

"I don't get It...what did he do?" I ask.

"They wouldn't go away without a story, so he told them his. The story of his girl and his child... that snow killed."

Katniss gasps and grips her stomach protectively. I kiss her head and then say,"I really should go talk to him."

I find Haymitch in the back feeding his geese. "What do you want, boy?" He says grumpily.

"To talk."

"I have nothing to say,"He says throwing the seeds at those stupid loud birds.

"Haymitch-"

"What do you want me to say! YOURE WELCOME?! LET IT BE!" He says and walks back into his house. I sigh but follow him.

He's drinking out of a bottle when I get in. I don't say anything, I just sit across from him.

"You're just as stubborn as her sometimes." He grumbles.

I smirk because I know that my wife has rubbed off a little on me.

"We were 17. I was young and dumb and didn't know how to keep It in my pants. She was the love of my life... When I made It home after my games, it was obvious that she was pregnant. It didn't bother me because I loved her so much and I was happy to raise a family with her. They came in one night, and they pulled her from my bed. I watched as they killed her and our unborn child. They told everyone that there was faulty wiring in the house because It was so old. Said she got electrocuted. They made me move to this house to cover It up... I've never loved another girl. She was my Nicole. Beautiful artist from the merchant side of town..." he stares off as if he's looking at her from across the room.

He sips more from the bottle and then slams It down. "Haymitch...thank you. I honestly don't know how to thank you. Or repay you."

"Don't. It's just what parents do."

I nod. He smiles at me. Or at least I think it's a smile. I've only seen him smile a few times. Then he finishes off the bottle and says,"I can't believe you're going to be a father soon. You just seem so young."

"Haymitch, I'm 21."

"Yeah, and I'm 45, you're not even half my age."

"I still can't believe It. I mean how am I so lucky to have been able to marry her and have her give me a child. Honestly I don't even know if I'm ready. It's all I've ever wanted.. and I don't know if I'm ready."

"No one is ever ready, but if anyone was, It would be you. You're going to be a great father Peeta. You have a lot of knowledge, love, and kindness to give your child. You have a lot to give boy. I know that no matter what you will love that child with all of your head and you will care for It and raise It to be a good responsible, and honest person... I'm proud of you, Peeta. You deserve this happiness."

"Thank you, Haymitch."

We both stand and I walk over to him. He puts out his hand to shake It but I wrap my arms around his shoulders and pat him on the back. He does the same after a second.

"Now, go to her." He says.

I walk to the door but turn back before I leave,"thank you, Haymitch. For everything."