The Epilogue - Katniss and Peeta

Miscommunications.

*Peeta's POV*

As I turn the corner, I find her sitting against the wall on the floor, knees pulled tightly to her chest. I walk up to her and I take a seat beside her, listening to her cries. It shatters my heart into pieces to see her so broken over him, and I wish I could help her. I also wish I never would've came to the capitol; nothing good ever happens here.

"I'm so sorry, Willow." I say quietly, and she slowly lifts her head out of her knees. My eyes meet her tear-painted face, and I notice how similar she acts to Katniss when she's upset. It's like looking into a painting of Katniss.

"He isn't getting the surgery, Dad." She remarks in between tears. I watch as she begins to cough from crying so much, and I reach over to rub her back softly.
"It's what he wants, sunshine." I tell her, but it does no good. This only evokes more tears, and more pain from her.
"How can he want this?" She asks, and her voice breaks. "I—how can he just—"
"Willow," I say, and she stops rambling. She looks up at me with water lining her already tearful eyes, and I give her a sad smile. "He's only hanging on right now because of you. I think you should go let him know that you'll be okay if he lets go."
"But I won't be okay." She exhales, and more tears ricochet down her cheeks.

I continue moving my hand in circles on her back until it seems as if she calms. She looks up at me and I lean in to kiss her forehead. She closes her eyes for a moment, and then looks back up at me. She hesitates, but then begins to speak quietly.

"Do I have to go back in there?" She asks, and her bottom lip trembles slightly. I nod my head gently at her, and she looks away while talking in a deep breath, before standing and waiting for me to follow. I stand, but I let her go first, allowing her to prepare herself alone as she approaches his room.

As we turn the corner, I hear a loud commotion coming from his hallway, and my stomach turns.

Oh, god.

I watch as they wheel him out of the room and quickly down the opposite end of the hall, and soon after the doctor talks to Katniss, she quickly runs towards where they headed with him. I quickly catch up to Willow and Katniss, who are standing in the middle of the hallway.

"Mom, what happened?" Willow asks quickly. I watch as her face turns to Katniss, who's currently staring down the hallway. Katniss then turns towards her with a completely different look on her face, and begins talking.
"He's going into surgery." She says, and Willow moves into Katniss's arms.

My face turns as I hear her say this, and I meet her eyes with confusion. Katniss meets mine while still holding Willow, and I watch as her eyes show her feelings. My face turns from a look of confusion to disgust, and I fight the urge to scoff before I cross my arms. She closes her lips tightly together as Willow pulls away, and I listen as Katniss tells her to go wait in the waiting room. As soon as Willow leaves, I glare at her.

"How could you?" I say shortly. "How could you do this?"
"I didn't do anything—" she starts, but I cut her off before any other lies can escape from her mouth.
"He didn't want this, Katniss." I remark, anger filling my tone. "You agreed we'd let him make this decision on his own, and then you go behind my back? Behind his back?"

"I did what was right," she says crossing her arms as well.
"No," I mutter. "You did what you wanted." I shake my head while walking around her, and I storm off.

How could she do this? He didn't want this at all, he didn't think he could do it, and yet she has to meddle. She has to do things her way. God, I love her, but sometimes I can't stand her ideas.

How can she be so incredibly smart and so incredibly naive at the same time? In what way did this make sense to her? How did she think this would succeed? As soon as he wakes up, he'll figure out what happened and never forgive her for choosing surgery—never forgive me for bringing him to the Capital.