Pure Torture: a Hunger Games Fanfiction

Chapter 15

Peeta

I stayed with her Until the doctors made me leave. I watched as they prepped her for her leg surgery, and they finally had to separate us.

I held her hand as they gave her the gas to put her to sleep, making sure she had an anchor to hold onto as she drifted off into a sea of unknowns.

When I had to leave, I thanked the doctors for letting me stay as long as I did. They just nod and give me a sad smile.

Now, as I sit at the table in the empty dining hall, I wonder about her. I wonder what it's like, being asleep like that. Is she dreaming? Is it peaceful? I hope she's not having a nightmare.

I find myself constantly worrying like this for almost two hours. Then, Prim comes into the dining hall. She seems as if she's been looking for me.
"Prim? Is everything okay?" I ask, getting more worried.
"Oh, yeah. She's good. Still in surgery, though. It'll be a while. " she says.

I wonder why she's come to me.
"So," I begin," Why have you come to me?"
"Well, I just thought that we could, um. I don't know. I just thought we could talk. About her...." She says, her voice trailing off.
"Yeah. I think we both could benefit from a little talking." I reply, giving her a small smile. I don't want her to feel alone in this.
"You know, my mother's never been very good at dealing with losses." She says.
"I know," I say, "Katniss told me about that once."
"It's just hard. I've lost everyone I've ever cared about. First my father, now Katniss. And my mother... She won't be very helpful to me for a while. I just wish I could have gone into the Games that first year and died and then everyone would be okay. I think about that a lot. I really wish she never volunteered for me. I know she meant well, but look at all it's caused." She says, sadly.
"Katniss wouldn't be okay." I say, quickly.
"What?"
"She wouldn't be okay," I repeat,"Prim, she would be broken. You realize you're the only one she knows she loves, right? If you went into that arena and died, she would have never forgave herself. Sometimes I think we would have ended up this way no matter what."
"You really think so?" She asks.
"Yeah. I do. I mean, think of her. Her heart rages with fire. I don't think this could have been avoided." I reply.
"But.. If she wasn't in the Games, she wouldn't have been tortured. She wouldn't have tried to kill herself!" She says. I see tears in her eyes.
"How.. How did you know about that?" I ask her.
"I work in the Hospital. She's they're newest case. Everyone wants to fix her up, they just don't understand how or why this is happening." She explains.
She wipes her tears with her sleeve.
"Anyways, I want to know how you're feeling about this." She says, trying to compose herself.
"Well," I start, "I'm just trying to be strong for her right now. I don't understand why this is happening or how we can reverse what has happened, but I know that what she needs is someone to lean on. She needs something worth living for, something worth fighting it for. I know she has stuff to live for, you know it, but she doesn't. I feel so responsible for showing her how she is loved and needed since I was rescued and she wasn't." I say. But I don't Stop.
"I understand what you mean when you say you wish Katniss wouldn't have volunteered for you. I wish so badly that I could have been taken by the Capitol instead... God, I just love her so much, you know? I wish we could have just lived a happily ever after."
Prim nods, understanding. She excuses herself, saying she needs to use the bathroom. She returns a few minutes later.
"I knew I liked you for some reason." She says.
"What are you talking about?" I ask. This is odd.
"I always used to think Katniss was going to marry Gale. Before all of this happened. Even after the first Games you were in, I thought it was an act and that she'd just return to Gale. But ever since your heart stopped, or that time on the beach... I saw how much you actually mean to each other. And just now, I see how much you love her and how you're willing to fight wherever you need to to get back to her. You're what she needs. I'm not saying Gale isn't an okay match for her, but anyone can see that you care for her a lot more than Gale ever could." She says.
"I always knew somehow she'd get a good one. I'm glad she got you." She continues.

To hear Prim say this absolutely takes me by surprise. After, she gets up again.
"I'm going to check on the surgery. I'll come back soon and tell you what's going on." She says before getting up and leaving.
--
It's only been a few minutes when she returns.
"They're just stitching her back up. She'll be in recovery soon. You should get to the Hospital to be there when she wakes up. I was thinking that it would be nice if we were both there when she wakes. I still haven't gotten to talk to her. They won't let me. I guess they think I'm too young." She says.

I agree and get up to go with her. When we get to the hospital, someone directs us to Recovery, where we wait.

Finally, we see her being wheeled out on a bed. I look at her leg, wrapped in a pristine white bandage.

"She'll be waking up soon." Prim says.

We look at each other and we smile for once, knowing that Katniss is right there. She can't get hurt any worse.

Her situation isn't ideal, I know. But it could be much worse.

I decide to just be thankful and happy when she finally opens her eyes back to this world.