Peeta walked slowly up to the remains of Mellark Bakery. He'd been back in District 12 for 3 months now but he'd refused to leave the Victor's Village. In his fragile mental state, he'd dreaded what seeing the remains of his once beautiful family home and business.
Katniss had agreed to accompany him when he'd approached her to say he was ready to go back. As they stood at the door, she slid an arm around his waist to steady him. Peeta gripped her hand and turned to look at her.
"I don't know whether I can do this," he whispered, letting a tear slide down his cheek.
Katniss reached up with her free hand and wiped it away, "Together?" she smiled.
The look on her face gave him the confidence to push open the door.
He immediately regretted his decision.
Their eyes were met with absolute devastation. Nothing remained in the bakery except the melted remains of the oven.
The very oven he'd burnt the bread in to throw to Katniss when they were 11.
He moved away from Katniss and walked further into the room. The majority of the worktops and cabinets that had once held vast arrays of cakes and breads had been made from wood, so they'd became nothing more than ask and dust in the attack on District 12.
Thoughts began to rush through his mind. Where had his family stood when they died? Had they been in this room? Upstairs maybe? Of course, the bodies had been removed and he would never know.
He moved towards the back of the shop to the staircase. Somehow, the upstairs of the house had survived more than the downstairs. His bedroom was slightly charred, but intact.
He sat down on the edge of his bed and looked around. His white apron hung on the back of the door, where it had always hung. An old school photo stood in its metal frame on his desk. He picked it up and brushed a layer of dust from it.
His eyes scanned the photograph. He found himself, smiling happily. But he wasn't looking for himself. He was looking for her.
Three rows in front of where he was sat in the picture, he saw her. Her hair was in two braids instead of one. It was his Katniss.
Only she wasn't his anymore.
When they returned to District 12, Katniss had just lost Prim. She had enough problems of her own and didn't need Peeta's. He'd sat down with her and explained that he couldn't be with her for that very reason. They'd agreed to remain friends.
"Hey", there she was in the doorway. She walked towards him and held out a hand to him, "you ready to go?"
"Sure" he said, taking her hand and walking out of the bakery, leaving the worst memories behind.