Life Will Go On - sequel to Our Love Will Remain

Chapter 2

I am walking in a long corridor, and I don't see the end of it. The walls are white and flawless, with no signs of any doors or windows. I feel trapped. Although the place is bathing in light, I feel like the walls are going to swallow me any moment. That I will never see the sunlight again. All that I love is dead. From little Rue to my husband, Peeta. No one I know is alive. I am left alone in this awful, endless corridor, and will never get out. I start to run. Maybe there is an end, after all. When I have ran for a long time, I give up, and fall down on the floor. I start hearing screams. Long, piercing screams. First, I hear Prim. I get up, and start running again. Then, I hear Peeta. 'Oh no.' I think, and start running faster. It breaks my heart to hear those screams. Then, I hear the most terrifying of them all. Ivy. She is screaming her head off, and there is nothing I can do about it. 'I have to run faster' I think. 'I have to run faster.' But I can't take the pain for long. I break down on the floor and cover my ears, starting to scream as loud as I can, to block out the screams of the ones I hold dearest in my heart. They don't stop, so I continue to scream. Then, I feel someone grab my shoulder, and just as I am about to turn around, I wake up.

"Katniss! Katniss, wake up!" Peeta tells me with a hushed voice. I am still screaming. When I turn around and see him, my screams turn into sobs. I cry and cry and cry, while Peeta rubs my bare back and soothes me. Even nights like these, I somehow can't always keep the nightmares away. Somehow, when I make love to Peeta, I realise how much I love him, and that makes me more susceptible to nightmares about losing him. It's like my mind gives me nightmares when I recently have been really happy, so that my happiness will be washed away. I hate my mind for that. I hope that it will come to its senses in time, but I doubt it. I hug Peeta hard, to be sure he can't get away, and cry into his also bare chest. He feels so warm, and his smell makes me calm. His lips are resting on my ear, and I can feel his breaths. That also calms me. After a while, my tears stop flowing and I start sobbing.

"It's okay. It's okay sweetie. It was just a dream." Peeta whispers in my ear. I bury my face deeper into his chest, and manage to say with a faint voice:

"But it was so horrible. I could hear your screams. Prim and you and Ivy and..." I can't go on, I've started crying again. I've been better at thinking Prim's name, but it still gets hard to say her name out loud.

"Shhh. It's okay. Do you want to go to sleep now, honey? It's only five o'clock. I don't have to go to the bakery today." he says. I hug him tighter.

"Are you sure?" I say. He starts stroking my hair.

"I am absolutely sure. My wife's well being is more important than a few loaves of bread." he says. I dig my fingers into his back.

"Good. Because I don't think I could bear to be left here alone." I say, and kiss his chest. He kisses my hair.

"I love you so much, Katniss. No one could ever change my mind about that." he says, and with that, we fall asleep again, him protecting me as well as he can. I feel more than grateful for the fact that he is there for me every night. I would've broken down long ago without his help. Even if I would've married someone else to comfort me, that person could never have understood the pain and fear in my nightmares. Peeta does, because he has been through the same as I have. Two Hunger Games. The threat of the Capitol. The rebellion. We've been through all of it together. The only part when we were separated was when he was hijacked by the Capitol. The memories of my time without him still haunt me. That, was certainly the worst part of my life back then. I can't think any further before the relief of unconciousness swallows me and allows me some peace for once.

I wake up when I hear the door open. I see a tiny face about three feet above the ground.

"Ivy, sweetie. Come here." Peeta says with a sleepy voice. I remember that we are still naked. We've got to be careful, or Ivy will start asking a lot of questions I don't know if I will be able to answer. So I pull up the sheets a little. Ivy jumps up onto the bed. She looks at me, concerned.

"Mommy, are you okay? I heard you screaming. Did you have a bad dream?" she asks. I sit up and pull her closer. I stroke a strand of hair away from her face. I smile.

"Yes, Mommy had a bad dream. But Daddy made it go away." I say, and Ivy turns to Peeta. I do too. She jumps over onto Peeta's thighs.

"Daddy is so nice." she says and gives him a big, wet, noisy kiss on his cheek. He smiles that smile that he only smiles when looking at Ivy or me. It is full of pride and joy and love.

"It's because I love you both very much." he says and pulls me closer to him. He is careful not to let the sheets fall down from my chest. Ivy curls up in Peeta's lap and rests her head on his shoulder. He puts an arm around both of us, and start stroking our hair. We stay there, until Ivy stands up on the bed and starts jumping up and down.

"Mommy! Daddy! I'm hungry!" she yells. We laugh. She's got energy, that one.

"Okay. I'm gonna make you breakfast, but you have to run to your room and get dressed first." Peeta says. Because we can't get up before she's out of here.

"Count the time!" she yells and Peeta smiles.

"Okay. Ready, set, GO!" he says and she runs. Peeta gets up fast while counting. He knows Ivy can dress fast, too.

"Can you fetch me when it's ready?" I say. "I don't feel like getting up right now." I say.

"Okay, six, seven, eight. Of course I'll do that, ten, eleven..." he says. I laugh. He always plays along with Ivy, how childish the games even may be. He dresses like a lightning, and just as he's ready, Ivy is through the door, fully dressed. Although I can see that her socks are inside out.

"How long did it take!" she shouts and runs up to Peeta. I don't know why, but there seems to be this special bond between those two. I don't think I'll ever understand. But I'm happy that my daughter has a good connection with her father.

"Ok, honey, I'll go down now and make some breakfast, come down whenever you like." Peeta tells me and kisses my lips softly. I return the kiss and make it a bit longer by putting my hands on his cheeks.

"Daddy!" Ivy yells and puts her hands on her hips. She looks so cute when she's doing that.

"Okay, I'll see my two darlings in a while." I say. Peeta and Ivy race downstairs. It seems like Peeta let Ivy win, because I can hear a squeal of delight. He's the greatest father in the world.

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Thank you for reading! A vote wouldn't bother :) And please tell your friends and THG fans about this story, I need more reads! Thank you again and don't forget to read my previous book if you haven't already! :)