~Sketching Out Our Love~

~Epilogue~

Hi everyone! I really can't believe this is already the last chapter! I've gotten really attached to this story and to all my awesome readers, so it's really sad to already be at the last chapter. But I am so incredibly thankful to all of my great readers- you always made it an honor to write this story. Thank you! I also have a couple notes at the bottom of this chapter about the epilogue, and my next story if you are interested.

I am sorry about the long wait for this final update. Real life and FanFiction clashed, but real life had to take priority. So, thank you for your patience.

So, I'm really pushing the "T" rating with this chapter. But I intend on following all rules set up by this site, and nothing will be over the site rating regulations. If you are under the age of 16 though, please read with caution. Also, my PM box is always open for questions if you have them.

And so, for the very last time, enjoy! 3

*Katniss POV*

(1 Month Later)

"Ok, let's go." Peeta digs a pair of keys out of the top drawer of the bakery counter as I watch him silently.

"Are you sure we can leave this early?" I ask worriedly, breaking my silence. It's only seven, but the bakery's closing time is nine. We've already made all the cookies and breads needed for tomorrow morning, when Peeta says we will have a huge rush. I've already told Mom that I'm spending the night at the Mellark's house so we can open the bakery extra early.

"Yes, it's fine." Peeta says patiently, as if talking to a child. "I already told Dad that I plan on taking you on a Christmas Eve date."

We walk out of the bakery and into the cold, snowy December air. I shiver, not expecting the cold after spending the whole afternoon in the warm Mellark bakery. It took Peeta a couple weeks to regain enough strength to stand on his prosthetic all day, but once he could, he made good on his promise to hire me at the bakery. I've been working here for two weeks now with Peeta working alongside me. He's done his best to teach me, but I'm most interested in eating the leftover cookies at the end of the day.

I help Peeta lock the door with frigid, frozen fingers. Despite the cold weather, a spark runs through my body when my fingers graze Peeta's. I know Peeta felt it too, because he looks at me for half a second. The tingling continues down to my stomach, and suddenly, I don't feel very cold anymore.

Since the day Peeta came to my house to apologize after being released from the hospital, something has changed between the two of us. I can't put my finger on what exactly has changed, but I know Peeta senses it too. It's a definite shift in our relationship, and I'm not afraid anymore. All of my doubts and insecurities have vanished as I've grow into our relationship.

"You're quiet today." Peeta observes quietly as we quickly walk towards his car. I pull my scarf more tightly around my shoulders as a shiver runs through my body.

"Just thinking." I respond softly.

"Secretive much?" Peeta jokes lightly. But I know Peeta won't press the matter. He knows I'll talk to him when I'm ready.

I watch him carefully back the car out of the parking and straighten out. For several weeks after the accident, Peeta refused to drive anywhere. Even getting in the passenger seat was nerve-racking for him. He tells me that he spends some nights afraid to fall asleep due to the nightmares he has. There are never any visuals, but the sound of shattering glass and metal crunching is enough to remind of him of the crash.

When he first told me about his nightmares, I made him swear to always call me when he wakes up. I want to be there for him when he needs me. So, now I go to sleep with my phone on vibrate under my pillow. On bad nights, the buzzing of my phone can wake me up three or four times. I just stay on with Peeta until he calms down again, and I've fallen asleep several times with my phone still on.

"So, where are you taking me?" I ask curiously. We are cruising down a part of town unknown to me, but that doesn't mean much. Even though I've been living in New York for nearly six months, I still don't have the roads memorized. Peeta finally convinced me to get a driver's permit last week, and is trying to get Rye to teach me to drive. But, knowing Rye, he'll purposely try to get me to crash into a tree or something as a joke.

Peeta's blue eyes gleam in the darkness as he glances at me and replies, "Somewhere special."

"That's really helpful." I reply sarcastically as I roll my eyes at him. Peeta just shakes his head and smiles at me as he merges onto the highway.

Ten minutes later, we are in the heart of New York City. I know this because of the huge shopping centers and people milling around. The city is strewn with twinkling lights and huge blow-up figurines of Santa, his reindeer, and even snowmen. It's already dark out, but it seems like every person who lives in New York is squashed into the Rockefeller Center.

Peeta parks at the first available parking we see. "It's nearly a mile of walking, are you ok with that?" He asks me anxiously.

"It's fine." I soothe him. "Is it fine for you?"

Peeta rolls his eyes. "I'm fine, Katniss. Don't worry."

I have on my thickest coat and a pair of leggings under my jeans. Despite all this, I'm still shivering, and I can barely feel my nose. Peeta wraps an arm around my waist as we begin walking towards the famous Rockefeller Center.

I've never seen so many people in one place. Christmas carols fill the air, and some heavily bundled up people are singing along. Peeta hums along with a song, and then begins singing along.

"Rudolph the red nosed reindeer, had a very shiny nose, and if you ever saw it, you would even say it glowed…"

I giggle at his failed attempt to sing. Peeta glares at me, but I can see amusement hiding in his features.

"Don't judge." Peeta mutters under his breath. "Not everyone can sing."

"What can I say?" I sigh dramatically. "I didn't date you for your voice."

An old couple glares at Peeta and me, no doubt annoyed by our public flirting. Peeta grabs me on the spot and presses his lips to mine. The couple quickly walk past us with scandalous looks, and I can feel Peeta laughing against my mouth.

"Peeta!" I complain weakly. "Let go of me!"

I try to get out of Peeta's arms, but he's just too strong. Peeta holds me to his chest for a moment longer, enjoying my struggling, before he lets me go.

I glare haughtily at him. "You make me look like weak." I roll my eyes at him.

Peeta smiles at me. "Katniss, you're the strongest person I know." He says sincerely. "I've never thought of you as weak."

"I could say the same about you." I reply. "You're a different kind of strong though. You are the kind of person who would do anything for the people you care about."

Peeta doesn't say anything, but I know he's pleased by my words. He takes my hand, and we continue our leisurely walk among the holiday celebrations.

Some people are just walking around, like Peeta and me. They are simply enjoying the festive holiday mood and marveling at all the holiday lights strung up around us. I smile as I look around, fully enjoying the lights and the bright mood. Kids are pressed up against the windows, ogling at all the Christmas toys, while their mothers try to drag them along. Peeta and I try to weave through the crowds, heading towards the center, where the Christmas tree is standing.

When Peeta spots a local coffee shop, he insists that we get some hot chocolate. I gratefully agree, and wrap my freezing hands around the warm cup of chocolate. Once we both have our hot chocolate in hand, Peeta and I walk back outside. I sip the delicious frothy drink and feel the excitement of the holiday mood bubble up inside me.

Within minutes, we are greeted by the sight of the huge ice skating rink. Little kids, parents, and friends glide along. The huge majority of the skaters are amateurs, and fall every couple of seconds. I feel Peeta stiffen beside me.

"I almost forgot this was here." He says softly. He pauses before continuing. "When Rye, Prim, and I were still kids, we'd come here every year. Rye and I would always fall, but Prim would just glide along."

I smile, imagining the sight of a young Prim skating around Rye and Peeta, who sit despairingly on the ice. But when I see Peeta's stony expression, the smile drops off my face.

"What's wrong?" I ask softly, rubbing his back gently. "Peeta?"

"It's nothing." Peeta sighs heavily as his hands clench at his side. "Let's go see the Christmas tree, ok?"

"No." I say firmly as I put my hands on his shoulders. "Not until you tell me what's wrong."

"It's just… stupid." Peeta mutters in a low voice. Then he seems the expression on my face, and sighs in defeat. "Fine. I was thinking about how we could've gone skating together if it weren't for my leg."

I knew it was something along the lines of that. "Peeta." I say firmly. "I don't even want to go skating."

"It's just frustrating." Peeta sighs. "I almost manage to forget, and then there are little things I can't do that suddenly remind me. Just like now with the skating, or yesterday when I was watching a football game."

I wrap my arms around him, trying to tell him what I can't with words. For a moment, he just leans into me, and I stroke his curly blonde hair gently. He rests his head on my shoulder, and I press up against him. He plays with my hair gently, and I let him twist the strands around his fingers.

"Thank you." Peeta whispers into my shoulder. "Thank you, Katniss."

"I'm here for you." I whisper, letting my guard down. I gently disentangle his hands from my hair and entwine my hand into his as I wait for him to say something.

"Let's go have some dinner." Peeta says in a matter-of-fact tone, as he tries to cover up the weakness he was experiencing a moment ago. He rearranges his features into a casual expression, but I know he's still thinking about his leg. I know without a doubt that today will be a bad night, and I will spend most of the night on the phone with Peeta.

"Ok." I say, not wanting to put him on the spot any further. "What do you feel like having?"

"Something warm." Peeta smiles at me, and leads me into the nearest restaurant. The immediate warmth goes right down to my bones, and I smile in pleasure. Peeta and I go and sit at a table with two chairs and we scan through the menu.

Sitting there, with Peeta across from me, I suddenly realize what's changed in our relationship. More than ever before, I've fallen in love with Peeta. It's not a crush or puppy love anymore. It's about taking care of each other, and working as a team. It's about protecting each other. Because, really, that's what we do best.

I suddenly feel light-headed at my revelation. I love Peeta Mellark. Now that I've really loved someone, I can conclude that what I felt for Gale was never real. Peeta makes my heart bound, and his touch can drive me crazy. Giving my virginity to Gale had been a beautiful act, but I can't help but think what it would be like to give my whole self to Peeta. If his mere touch can send me into insanity, his whole body would most likely kill me of ecstasy. The thought strangely excites me.

Before Peeta came around, I was so emotionally "turned off." My life, for a whole year, had been about keeping myself and Gale alive. Now, Peeta comes along, and turns my world upside down. But there are so many things I can regret from the past year, but the one thing I can't regret is Peeta. He is the best thing that has ever happened to me. He gave me hope.

"Katniss?" Peeta's soft voice interrupts my thoughts. "Are you ready to order?"

I snap out of my musings, and see Peeta and a waitress looking at me expectantly. I blush and stammer pointlessly for a couple seconds. I have no idea what to get, because I haven't even looked at the menu. I've been far too busy thinking.

"I'll just have what Peeta's having." I tell the waiter quickly. Peeta smirks at me. He knows I've been distracted, and he will pester me endlessly until I tell him what I was thinking about.

"Katniss." Peeta looks at me nervously. "I have an early Christmas gift for you."

I smile at him. "You didn't have to get me anything." I tell him softly.

"Of course I had to get you something." Peeta brushes my concern off breezily. "But you don't have to take it if you don't want it."

I watch him carefully as he pulls something out of the pocket of his jeans. It's a small black box, very unassuming and simple. Peeta watches me carefully, his eyes focused on my face, as he slowly holds the small box out to me. Then he opens it, and I gasp.

"Katniss." Peeta begins. "You're the best thing that's ever happened to me. I love you, and I want to be there for you no matter what we are going through. You mean so much to me. Losing you would be like losing my world."

I nod, not trusting myself to speak. No doubt I will explode into waterworks if I try to speak.

"Katniss Everdeen, will you marry me someday?" Peeta holds the ring out to me. It matches perfectly with the necklace he gave me at our Homecoming night.

Peeta senses my hesitation, and hurriedly speaks. "This isn't really a wedding proposal. It's more like a promise that we will always be there for each other no matter what. We might not even get married for ten more years, but this is a promise that we will get married someday."

"Peeta." I stop his nervous rambling, because I can't leave any of this to chance. I can't risk him not understanding exactly how I feel. "I want to be your fiancée."

Peeta's face lights up like the sun. He shakily pulls the pearl ring out of the box and slips it onto my ring finger. It's a perfect fit, and it already feels like a part of me. I can't remember what it felt like to not have Peeta in my live.

I hold my hand up to the light, admiring the ring. It's simple, just the way I like it. Peeta knows that I would not like a big, stuffy ring with a bulky diamond on it. I marvel again at how Peeta always seems to know how I feel.

"Peeta, I need you in my life." I say softly. "Things just don't work without you with me."

"I love you, Katniss." Peeta reaches across the table and grabs my hand. He plays with the ring on my finger, and stares at me. For an indefinite amount of time, we just look at each other, enjoying the other's presence. It's just enough for him to be here.

A cough interrupts us. We break apart to see our poor waiter staring at Peeta and I like we've grown three heads and eight arms. "Sorry." Peeta mutters. He takes a plate for himself, and hands the other plate over to me.

"I have to leave him a big tip." Peeta mutters. "He probably thinks we are clinically insane."

I laugh. "That's debatable." I tease Peeta gently as I begin to eat. The hot soup feels good going down my chilled throat. I can't help but sigh in contentment as I begin to start on the sampler. I didn't want to miss anything, so I just got a plate that has a little bit of everything in it.

Everything is perfect, in this moment. I can't help but feel like the luckiest girl in the world.

And then a horrifying thought comes to me that makes me gag on my food. "Peeta!" I gasp.

Peeta looks up at me in surprise, which quickly changes into worry at my terrified expression. "Katniss? What's wrong?" He asks quickly, scanning my panic-stricken features.

"Peeta, how do I tell my mom about our engagement?" I ask in horror. I can already see her horrified face, and the thought fills me with dread.

Peeta looks at me thoughtfully. "I think it's best to let her find out." Peeta says thoughtfully. "Don't hide it from her, but don't tell her. She'll see the ring and ask you about it."

"I guess." I say musingly. "I don't want to make a big deal out of it, so that makes sense."

Peeta takes my hand. "This is what our whole promise is about." He tells me softly. "It's about helping each other, no matter how trivial the issue may be."

Peeta leaves a generous tip for the poor waiter we terrified. Peeta and I walk out into the cold night holding hands. I walked into this restaurant as Peeta's "girlfriend," and now I'm his fiancée. As terrifying as the thought is, I can't help but be exhilarated. I'm not scared of falling anymore. I had it all wrong. Love doesn't make you weak, it makes you stronger.

We end up in front of the huge Christmas tree. It's a beautiful sight. The tree is amazing. It's at least eighty feet tall, and every inch of the tree is lit with lights. I crane my head upwards, trying to see the top of the tree. I can just make out a huge star at the very tip of the giant tree.

"It's amazing." I say softly. "Peeta, this is the best day ever."

"As long as I'm with you, it's the best day." Peeta says sweetly. He leans in for a kiss. It starts slow and innocent, but for the first time, I feel a fire inside of me. Kissing him isn't enough, I want more now. My tongue explores the familiar feel of his mouth, and I moan. The hunger is getting bigger and bigger, and I can't control my emotions.

Peeta pulls me up so that I'm flush against his chest. My fingers claw at his hair desperately, and I only pull away when I start seeing stars from lack of oxygen.

"Peeta." I moan against his chest. His arms wrap securely around me, and I sink into his chest. My knees suddenly feel like jelly. "I want you." I whimper pathetically.

"You have no idea." Peeta says darkly, but then his expression turns serious. "Katniss, I want to save myself for you. I want us to do this right. But right now, I don't want to ruin our relationship."

"I want more." I whisper quietly. My cheeks are hot, but for once, my embarrassment isn't getting the best of me.

"I do too." Peeta whispers. "But I want us to do this right, in order. I have to marry you first."

"We're as good as married." I argue weakly. "We will do it right."

"Are you sure?" Peeta looks at me with a mixture of hesitation and elation. Peeta, always the gentleman, is leaving this choice up to me.

"Yes." I reply. I'm sure of my decision. "I want to give you all of me. I don't want any secrets between us."

We are at Peeta's house in half an hour. The house is quiet. Everyone is asleep, due to the late hour. I see a huge stack of wrapped boxes sitting under the Mellark's Christmas tree in the living room.

"Will your parents find out?" I ask Peeta in a hushed voice. Talking too loudly feels all wrong in the eerily quiet house. Normally, the Mellark house is alive with the smells of freshly cooked food and music, but now I could hear a pin drop.

"No. they won't. Don't worry." Peeta says as he flips some lights on. I feel relieved now that I can see where I am standing.

"I'm going to call my mom." I tell Peeta. "She might be worried about me."

I dial Mother's number. She answers on the second ring, which is a testament to how worried she is about me.

"Katniss, where are you?" She asks worriedly. "I've been worried since you didn't call!"

"Sorry, Mom." I say truthfully. I feel bad that I've worried her so much. "I'm going to bed right now, because we have an early morning at the bakery."

It's not a lie, technically. Peeta's family will need the help tomorrow morning because people will surge in early Christmas morning.

Mother hesitates. "I don't see why it's a problem… as long as you, you know, not share… a bed with Peeta."

I can't help but laugh. "Don't worry, Mom." I say soothingly. "I'll be fine."

"Ok." Mother sounds marginally relieved. "Good night."

"Good night, Mom." I say softly. "See you once I'm done at the bakery tomorrow."

I end the call just as Peeta comes back down to the kitchen. He's dressed in a pair of thick sweats, and has a bundle in his hand. He throws the bundle at me. "It's the smallest pair I have, because I don't think you'll fit into Prim's stuff."

I unroll the bundle, and see a pair of pants and a long-sleeved shirt. I know it's going to be huge on me just by looking at it.

"The bathroom is just down the hallway." Peeta gestures at an open door down the hallway. "I'll wait for you here."

"Thanks." I say with a smile. I head down the hallway, and lock the door behind me. I don't know why I'm nervous about undressing in front of Peeta. I just agreed to give myself to him, but I'm nervous about being naked in front of him. Then again, my brain isn't functioning logically at the moment

Sure enough, the shirt hangs off of my petite frame. I have to roll the sleeves up so they don't slip over my fingers. The pants drag on the ground. I stare at my frame, which looks like it's drowning in Peeta's clothes.

Peeta chuckles when he sees the clothes on me. "You look beautiful." He grins at me. "You should wear my clothes more often."

I take a seat beside him, and curl up with my knees resting on his leg and my head on his chest. I focus on breathing in sync with him, and relaxing.

"Do you want to watch a movie or something?" Peeta asks casually. "Or are you tired?"

"Actually, I'd rather go to bed." I say quickly. Peeta doesn't need further encouragement. He scoops me up in his arms and carries me down the hallway and up the staircase.

"No, stop." I protest. "Your leg."

"Katniss, I'm fine." Peeta murmurs. He seems to be telling the truth, because he is carrying me effortlessly. I relax in his arms and let myself sink in his arms. He carefully lowers me onto his bed and comes to sit beside me. I hear him shift around a little bit as he slips his prosthetic off and places it on the side table.

"We don't have to do this tonight." Peeta says to me, sensing my hesitation.

"Let's just see what happens." I murmur softly. I roll closer to him and kiss him softly. The hunger overtakes me again, and soon, his lips aren't enough for me. My arms run down his chest, my lips following moments later as I shower him with kisses.

"My turn." Peeta murmurs. I see that his eyes have darkened with desire, and that's the thing that finally takes me over the edge. I couldn't turn back now if I tried.

His fingers ghost over my chest. I've never felt so loved in my whole life. His fingers are so gentle, but I feel his love with every touch. I've never felt this way before, not even with Gale. Peeta's fingers are causing me to go insane. "Faster." I moan into his shoulder.

"No." Peeta argues. "We're doing this slowly."

We spend time memorizing every inch of each other. It's slow and melodic, and I'm settling into a rhythm. It's beautiful, and the love is visible in every movement.

Finally, it gets to a point where we both want so much more. It gets real, and it suddenly dawns on me what we are doing. The panic must show in my eyes, because Peeta draws away. "We can stop." He says, but I know just contemplating the idea of stopping is painful.

"No." I say confidently. "I've already made my choice, Peeta."

I relax in his arms as Peeta moves over me. My whole world is him in this moment. I can't see anything, or feel anything but him. All I can hear is our heavy breathing, perfectly in sync with each other. My world has been reduced to this one point. The amount of gentleness and love in every touch is astonishing. I never knew that anyone could ever make me feel this way- so loved, so amazingly wonderful.

"Are you sure?" Peeta asks again. He's hesitating, but I can't stop now. I'm way too far gone.

"Make love to me." I whisper. My brain is consumed by him, and I can't think of anything anymore but him.

Peeta doesn't need any further assurance. He sends me into a state of ecstasy unknown to me before now. I know nothing but his touch as he sends me into pure bliss. Wave after wave of love roll through my body, and I'm surprised I haven't exploded from pure joy yet.

We lay in exhaustion when it's all over. Peeta breathes heavily, and my head rests on his chest. His arms are wrapped around me, and I feel so safe in his arms. I feel like he can protect me from everything.

"Was I all you've dreamed of?" I ask Peeta softly after a long period of silence. It was perfection for me, but I need to know if it was perfect for Peeta as well.

"You're more than my best dreams." Peeta says simply. "Katniss, I love you more than I can ever say."

"As do I." I say softly. "You are everything I've ever wanted and more."

"Sleep now." Peeta murmurs into my hair. He sits up on an elbow and gropes around on the side table for his prosthetic, but I cling to his chest.

"Stay with me." I mumble feebly. I'm already half-asleep, and the words leave my mouth so quietly I'm afraid he didn't hear me.

But Peeta leans back down, and wraps his arms around me. I relax into his warm body, instantly feeling at home. Just before I drift off, I hear him murmur a single word into my ear.

"Always."

When I wake up early in the morning, I feel panicked. Peeta is gone, and his side of the bed is cold. I immediately sit up, ignoring the resulting head rush as I get off the bed.

I find Peeta a second later. He is leaning on the door, dressed in a thick jacket and jeans. He grins when he sees my panicked expression.

"Merry Christmas, beautiful!" He crosses the room easily and wraps me in his arms. "How did you sleep?" He murmurs softly in my ear.

"I slept wonderfully." I smile happily. Peeta didn't wake me once last night. Last night was the first night he's slept through the night since coming home from the hospital. "No nightmares?" I ask Peeta.

"No nightmares." Peeta confirms. His arms wrap around my lower back, and I arch myself so that our lips meet gently. There is none of the fire or passion of last night. It's more calming and sweet. The kind of kiss that says I'll always be here for you.

"I woke up and you were gone." I say once we break apart. I suddenly realize how childish I sound. "I was worried."

"I woke up and left so my family wouldn't see us in bed together." Peeta says with an impish smile.

"Oh…" I say stupidly, a blush heating up my cheeks. "I'm sorry."

"Nothing to be sorry for." Peeta brushes off my concern. He hands me a pair of Prim's jeans and a thick jacket. "These are some clothes that are too big on Prim, so I think they'll fit you."

"Thanks." I say as I take the clothes from Peeta. I can't resist giving him a quick peck on the lips. "Merry Christmas." I say softly when I break away.

"I'll see you downstairs." Peeta says. He smiles before leaving and closing the door of his room behind him.

I decide to take a quick shower before changing. When I get out, I'm surprised to see my skin flushed and rosy, no doubt from last night. My lips curl into a small smile when I remember mine and Peeta's first time. It was pure bliss, and perfect in every sense of the word.

I quickly brush my hair and decide to keep it down. It looks nice, and it is Christmas, so I feel like I should try something out of the ordinary. My eyes unconsciously meet the sparkling ring on my finger as I run my hands through my hair. When I remember that Peeta is now my fiancé, I grin. It feels so good yet so strange to call him my betrothed.

I dab some of Prim's mascara and lip gloss on before leaving the bathroom. And because I'm feeling particularly nice today, I make Peeta's bed. After all, I did make half of that mess.

Peeta's family is already awake and gathered around the Christmas tree. Prim is excitedly opening presents and singing to Christmas carols. Mrs. Mellark is busy making breakfast, and Mr. Mellark is watching a football game. Rye is the first to notice me, and he comes to give me a huge, bone-crunching hug.

"About time, Sleeping Beauty!" Rye chides me. "We thought you were going to sleep through the present opening!"

"Stop it Rye." I mutter.

Rye puts a hand over his heart in mock hurt. "Ouch, Katniss." He sighs dramatically. "Someone doesn't like mornings, does she?"

"You're so dramatic, Rye." I roll my eyes at him.

"And what's Peeta?" Rye pouts. "Do you think he's perfect?"

"I know he's not." I say with a straight face. "But I love him anyways."

Rye conveniently chooses this moment to notice the ring on my finger. He gawks at me for a whole thirty seconds before speaking. "You're- he- what?" Rye looks, for once, at a loss for words.

"We're not married." I roll my eyes at Rye. "We're in a very long engagement."

"Well, you're my sister now then!" Rye cheers. "Come here, sis!"

He hugs me again, and I smile. I really do like Rye. He's like a more comical version of Peeta, and he's fun to be around.

"Rye, are you stealing my fiancée?" Peeta comes up behind me and hugs me. "Come on, you need to open your presents!"

"Easy, little brother." Rye scolds Peeta. "So possessive." He adds in a mutter under his breath.

Peeta smacks Rye lightly before leading me away. He takes me over to a small stack of presents on the ground.

"These are yours." He declares. "Open them!" He looks so excited, his eyes shining like a child's, and I can't deny him the pleasure.

I sit down first and help him down. Once he's sitting beside me, I grab the first box. It's from Prim, and when I rip off the bright pink wrapping paper, I see a make-up kit. I quickly thank Prim, but I can't think of when I would use the make-up.

"Are these all for me?" I ask Peeta as I grab the next parcel.

"Of course they are." Peeta rolls his eyes. "And I have something else for you upstairs."

"You already got me enough." I say softly. "You didn't have to."

"I wanted to." Peeta rejoins. "Now open the rest of them."

I get a gift card from Mr. Mellark and Mrs. Mellark. I saw a pair of boots at the mall that I really saw, so I might go buy that with the card. There's even a bag from Rye underneath the tree, and when I get all the tissue paper out of the way, I see a stuffed snowman holding a joke book. Typical Rye.

Once I've opened Rye's gift, Peeta all but drags me up the stairs and back into the room. He's grinning widely and his eyes shine with excitement. Whatever this gift is, Peeta is very excited to give it to me.

I stop at Prim's room for a quick second to grab the present I got for Peeta. I didn't want to put it under the tree, because I decided it would be nicer to give it to him personally.

When I enter Peeta's room, I see Peeta standing and holding a thick book with a green cover. He looks so excited that I get slightly confused. Why is he so excited over a book?

I set Peeta's gift on his bed and take the book from Peeta's arms. "What is it?" I ask Peeta curiously.

Peeta's bright blue eyes glint mischievously. "I'm not saying." He teases lightly.

I shake my head but relent by flipping the book open. The pages are thick and heavy, and I realize that this is no ordinary book. It's actually a sketchbook.

I gasp as I see the first picture. It's me, on the first day of school, as Peeta saw me. I marvel at how beautiful Peeta has made me look. In the corner of the picture, I can just see the blonde-haired, green-eyed figure of Glimmer.

It goes on like that for picture after picture. There are pictures of Peeta and me at Gale's cemetery, pictures of Peeta and me at Snow's office, and even a picture of Homecoming. One of the very last pictures is of me surrounded by a hazy, silvery mist. I look at Peeta questioningly, wondering when this picture could've been.

"That's what you looked like to me the first time I woke up in the hospital." Peeta explains to me.

There are only two more pictures after that. The second to last is at my house, right after Peeta came to apologize to me. The last picture is of Peeta and me at the bakery, throwing flour at each other. We are both laughing, and the picture is so carefree that it brings a smile to my face.

"These are perfect." I tell Peeta softly. He has managed to perfectly capture my emotions in each portrait. I can't even imagine how long each picture must have taken him. "When did you do them?"

"In the hospital." Peeta shrugs. "I had a lot of free time."

"Thank you." I say thickly. My throat has closed up and tears are threatening to fall. "These are amazing."

"It's like a timeline of us." Peeta says hesitantly. "I'm going to keep drawing more and more pictures in there as we go along."

When I look at the pictures again, I see something else in them. Somehow, Peeta manages to express his love for me in each picture. I could stare at these pictures for hours and not get tired of them.

"You sketched out our love." I tell him simply. "Somehow, you managed to draw out exactly how I feel about you."

"I'm glad you liked them." Peeta says. He sounds almost nervous, which is amusing to me.

"I didn't like them." I state. I notice Peeta's disappointed expression, which he quickly manages to hide from me. "I loved them." I finish with a grin.

Peeta's face breaks out into a wide, relieved smile. I grab his gift from the bed and hand it to him. "I got you something too."

Peeta quickly unwraps the gift, and I watch his face go from shocked to excited to happy. "These are amazing!" He exclaims as he examines the pencils and paints. "Where did you find these?"

"I looked for a long time." I reply enigmatically. I looked online for the perfect pencils and other drawing materials until I stumbled on the perfect kit last week. I actually had to put it on priority shipping to make sure it got here on time for Christmas.

Peeta drops the pencils on his bed and embraces me. "Thank you." He whispers as he strokes my hair.

I lean into his protective embrace, inhaling the faint smell of cinnamon on him. Everything is so calm and peaceful that I never want to leave his embrace. But we break apart and sit on the edge of his bed holding hands.

"Things won't always be perfect." Peeta says softly. "But no matter how bad things get, we will always have each other. I'll still have nightmares, and you'll have your bad days where all you can think of is Gale. But no matter how hard things get, I'm not leaving anywhere."

"Neither am I." I say firmly. "I was scared to let myself fall for you, Peeta. But I'm not scared anymore."

I gently trace soft patterns on his hand as he plays with my loose hair. Neither of us says anything, because there is no need for words. He knows exactly what I am feeling.

"Real or not real?" Peeta asks a couple minutes later. "You love me."

"Real." I reply without hesitation "I love you."

Like Peeta said earlier, things wouldn't always be perfect. In fact, most of the time, life will be far from perfect. But the one thing in this world that I can always count on is Peeta. He's the one who keeps me sane. He's my rock. And as long as he's with me, I'll be fine.

Peeta seems to be able to read my mind, because he says, "Let's not worry about the future. What will come will come."

"You're right," I respond, coming back to the present moment. His blue eyes are gentle, and the trademark Peeta smile dances on his lips. I look straight in his eyes, and my breath catches in my throat. I could stare at him for a lifetime and not get tired of it.

He leans in for a kiss, gently, but I'm not in the mood for a mellow kiss. My hands tangle in his blonde hair, and my chest is flush against his. And in that moment, with my lips on his and our tongues dancing in perfect synchronicity, I forget everything but the present moment. All that's real is Peeta's lips on mine, and I lose myself.

Just me and him, for a lifetime, no matter what will come our way.

The End.

Just one more time, I have to thank you for your support! *Virtual hug to all my readers*

Now… for my next story! :)

-A Fighting Chance (NOTE: This title is still up for debate, so if you have a better suggestion, let me know please!)

-Summary: Modern Day AU. Katniss doesn't realize she sent the wrong boy off to war without admitting her feelings until it's far too late. Will her soldier ever come home, or will they not even have a fighting chance?

-I will be posting this story on Saturday, November 24, on both FanFiction and AO3. It will be rated M on AO3, but I will probably keep it at T for FanFiction. So, if you are interested, put me on Author Alert so you won't miss it. :)

Ok, guys thanks so much for everything! I love all my readers more than I ever thought possible before writing this story. :)

Reviews, please? I really want to hear from you on this last chapter, especially if you haven't reviewed yet. :)