When You Kiss Me…

Merry Christmas!

I wrote this little story last year as part of A Candle of the Caribbean fundraiser… there are nine little chapters in all and I'll be posting one a day until New Years! And it's completed, so all I have to do is post lol!

I just wanted to thank each one of you for continuing to come back and read my words. This past year has brought up so many questions, about so many things, and knowing that you are here for me, mean so much. It really does!

I hope you enjoy this Katniss and Peeta as they go to London…

Kpkpkpkpkp

"Thank you," Katniss Everdeen replies to the snappy TSA agent who dismisses her with an equally crabby scowl. She shakes her head as she grabs the handle of her worn messenger bag and slides her shoes back on.

She steps quickly out of the way of the other passengers and makes her way over to the low seats in the middle of the busy concourse. The shoulder strap slides down her arm and the bag lands on the vinyl of the worn seat. Then, she digs for the passport and the boarding pass that is in the side pocket.

"F7," she mutters as she takes in the memorized ticket. Her boss, Finnick handed it to her only a week ago as he smirked to her questioning look, "This came for you today." And he handed her a note scribbled in a script she didn't recognize.

"—invited to attend the charity ball in London, England—" she bites her lip then blurts out, "Who sent this? I don't have time to go to England! I have to go pick up the new pound puppies—"

He shook his head as he turned back to go to his office. "Your guess is as good as mine. Take a break, Everdeen. You need one." He stops before he walks through the door. "Annie can go pick them up. She's been wanting to get out of the office more."

Her protest dies on her lips as her copper haired boss enters his office. His wife and secretary, Annie grins at her. "It will be fun. Besides, New Year's in London is amazing."

"But who sent this?" She asks showing the boarding pass to Annie.

"It came by courier just before you came in. I didn't even know what it was, if I did, I would have asked him about it. I thought it was papers for new warriors coming after the holidays."

A loud squawk echoes over her head, snapping her out of her memories. "Well, let's go then," she says to no one as she picks her bag back up. When the strap is in place, she tucks her papers away, and looks for a map. It's been years since she's been to the airport in Atlanta and even then, she never flew internationally.

There is plenty of time before they start boarding the flight, so she stops at one of several fast food places in the great room. There is supposed to be a meal on this flight, but it could just be peanuts and a drink—runs through her mind as she orders her normal number one with no onions.

After the teenager behind the counter hands it to her, she starts weaving in and out of the busy people at the airport. Right when she spies the sign for concourse F, she hears a loud voice booming over the chatter around her, "Damn it! I told you I can find it!"

"But sir—"

"Don't you 'Sir' me! I'm not totally blind, and I have Duke. He won't let anything—" at that moment she turns to see her former warrior, Peeta Mellark and the hardheaded black lab, Duke. They just graduated from the program back in October.

Without a second thought, she crosses the walkway to reach the tall blond's side. "Peeta Mellark? Why are you giving this poor girl such a hard time? She's just trying to help you." The employee of the airline shoots her a look of relief and a quick smile.

The giant of a man, but everyone is considered a giant to her five foot-too-short frame, looks towards her. He looks too good in his long-sleeved t-shirt with something about the Marines on the front and those same jeans that he always wore. The same ones that make her mouth water and stumble over her words. It broke her heart when she realized how little those Carolina blue eyes of his did actually see. Now, she steps closer into what little sight he has left.

Something akin to happiness makes his mouth curl. "It's you," he whispers before he clears his throat. He straightens his spine to reach his full six-foot-five and she can't help but smile remembering how quiet he would get before his training with Duke was complete. "Katniss Everdeen," he says in that deep southern-dipped-in-honey baritone that's been haunting her dreams ever since she told him and Duke bye over two months ago. "Fancy meeting you here in a place like this."

She can't keep the smile off her face. "I'm on my way to London, what are you and Duke doing here?"

Her old friend wags his tail when he hears his name and pride swells when he stays by Peeta's side instead of coming to hers. "You're going to London, too?"

"You're going, too," she can't help but echo.

"I am." He pauses for a moment. He doesn't take his eyes off of her, as if he could see her clearly and says, "I'm willing to bet that you are on the same flight as me."

Her heart beats faster while her stomach twists in a painful but excited way. "I'm on flight DL16."

"I am too."

A loud radio squawk interrupts them and both look to the forgotten Delta employee. Her face flushes pink. "I can make sure he gets to the gate and to his seat."

"You will?" Relief floods the young lady's voice.

Katniss smiles. "Yeah, Mr. Mellark and I are friends who happen to be going to the same place."

"Thank you," she says. "I'll see if I can't do something to make this trip a bit easier—" she grabs her radio and pushes a button. "It will be waiting for you at the gate."