Shattered

Summary: After the sudden and unexpected death of Katniss's father and the immediate mental demise of her mother both Katniss and Prim become wards of District 12. Prim is immediately placed in foster care but Katniss is enrolled in the Panam School for At Risk and Disadvantaged Youth merely hoping to survive until her 18th birthday. Feeling completely alone and depressed she withdraws into herself not caring what goes on around her.

Peeta Mellark idolized his big brother Rye. Rye was the all star athlete with natural good looks and a likeable persona. Peeta did not excel at sports though he did try; always trying to please his overbearing mother he never seemed to make her happy. Upon Rye's graduation the two go out on the town celebrating but the night ends in a tragic car accident that takes the life of Rye. Unable to stand the sight of him his mother ships him off to the Panam School for At Risk and Disadvantaged Youth. Peeta is completely devastated and could care less whether he lives or dies.

Can two completely lost strangers save each other? Or are they so shattered beyond repair that they can't let anyone else in?

Author Note: Here it is the first chapter in the modern day drama of Katniss and Peeta. If the response is good I will continue this on.

Katniss

I rest my head against the cool glass and watch the first heavy drops of rain as they fall and splatter against it. Everything around me is grey. The sky, the walls, this drab uniform they make us wear, it's depressing. But I guess it's fitting given that's how I feel too, depressed. I unfold and press the wrinkles out of a piece of notebook paper for the tenth time and reread my sister's letter.

Prim. Or rather Primrose, my 11 year old sister was sent off into the care of a wonderful husband and wife who longed for children. My sister was at a precious and moldable age that people still wanted her, figured she still had a chance to become something. Me on the other hand they shipped off to this dreadful school until I turned eighteen. I kept rereading her letters in search of clues that all wasn't really what it seemed in Prim's paradise. I was wary if the couple was as really nice as they had seemed when they whisked her a way a few short months ago but Prim's letters say nothing but nice things about them. They take her shopping, give her an allowance, take her to the doctor, and she's starting to make friends at her new school. I'm happy for my sister I truly am but I am so lonely without her.

I bite my lip in an effort to keep the tears from spilling out. I miss my old life. I never realized how good I had it until it all came unraveled. Just three short months ago I was normal and happy, and now…

My father, my sweet adoring lovable father, had been crushed by a piece of falling equipment in the mines on a late shift. My mother, who was always quiet and reserved, shut the world out altogether the moment she had heard of his untimely demise. We lasted a few weeks on our own before some of the neighbors started whispering about our welfare and not long after a Child Protective agent showed up and whisked away the very same day.

We were stuffed into a temporary crowded group home while they sorted out the details. My mother was very sick they told me, there was no chance we would be going back anytime soon. The money from my father's accidental death settlement paid off the remaining debts on our childhood home and it was sold to pay for my mother's care in a psychiatric facility and my meager tuition at the Panam School for At Risk and Disadvantaged Youth. Prim, in the meantime, had been scooped up by the nice couple leaving me on my own.

I refold her letter and slide it into the pocket of my grey sweater. The rain is coming down harder now and I watch for a moment, completely mesmerized as I watch the droplets glide down the window before spilling around a hairline crack in the window. I am just about to head to my room to collect my books for our morning classes when a car pulls into the circular front drive.

The Panam School is in the middle of nowhere. I figure no one wanted a bunch of potentially dangerous and volatile teenagers running amuck in a nice neighborhood. There isn't much interaction with the outside world to speak of so immediately I'm intrigued as to who would be visiting the school. Occasionally CPS workers come to take a student or inquire on the progress of another; one time an ambulance had to take away a girl who had sliced a blade to her wrists but that was it. I was the newest student here. No one had arrived in my three months so new arrivals didn't happen often either.

I stop to observe as the big dark town car pulls to a stop. A man, obviously a hired driver, emerges all in black with a black umbrella and trots to the back to open the door of the sedan. A thin severe looking woman steps out and immediately makes her way to the door. I'm so intent on watching her arrival I almost miss the arrival of the young man she was riding with.

He stood with some trouble in the heavy down pour. His blonde hair immediately plastered to his head soaked with rain. He was dressed in slacks, a button down white shirt and an unbuttoned blazer that screamed money. He threw a back pack over his shoulder and leaned heavily on his crutches and began to move across the drive. I see the driver dart back to cover the young man with the umbrella but it doesn't seem to faze him. My eyes travel down to where a bulky cast encases the lower third of his left leg. As he gets closer I see he has a few bruises, his hands have some pretty nasty looking cuts. My eyes flick back to his face to continue my observations when he suddenly looks right at me. I jump back from the window, my heart pounding in my chest. Had he seen me? I was flustered at the thought. I had to admit I was curious to who this guy was, he definitely had an air about him.

I curse at myself for my stupidity. I was acting like some silly little school girl. I hastily make my way back up the stairs to my room to retrieve my books. I'm half way up the stair case when I meet my roommate Rue.

"Katniss, where have you been? We are going to be so late!" She admonishes.

"I have to get my books," I tell her. She simply shakes her head and hands me my bag.

"I've got them, come on we are going to be late and I for one don't want a tongue lashing from Mr. Abernathy."

I smile at Rue. She is probably the only person I've felt somewhat comfortable with since I've been here. She's small for her age and looks more to be my sister's age but she just celebrated her sixteenth birthday last week. Well, we stole some food from the cafeteria and we sat up late in the night talking about what we were going to do the moment we got out of this forsaken place. That's about the best you could hope for around here.

As we make our way to the other end of the enormous building for our class she badgers me for details. "So are you going to tell me what kept you?"

I offer her a small smirk and keeping her waiting for a moment before I blurt out, "I think we have a newbie today."

"Really?" She asks with her voice rising in octave in excitement. "Boy or girl?"

"Boy." I say simply as we make our way to our seats just before the bell.

"Cute?" She asks.

"I guess if you go for that sort of thing. Look pretty roughed up, leg was in a cast." I get out my books and last night's assignment for class.

"Well he must not be too bad on the eyes if I had to guess." When I raise my eyebrow to her she continues, "You were late because you were ogling him and now you've got a grin on your face. You don't grin Katniss."

"I wasn't ogling him I just happened to see his car pull up and I am allowed to smile Rue."

"Uh huh," she giggles as Mr. Abernathy walks in and sits at his desk. He leans back in his chair puts his feet up on the desk and crosses his hands across his chest.

Haymitch Abernathy is our teacher/mentor/counselor or whatever else they want him to be. He's a bit brash and to the point but I don't really mind him much. I always have my assignments done and he leaves me alone most of the time. He definitely doesn't take attitude or excuses well though. I guess dealing with 12 at risk youth wouldn't allow for much patience with that sort of thing. "Well boys and girls. Are we ready to turn in last night's math assignment?" His voice drips with sarcasm and he laughs as most of the class moans. I simply hand him my paper when he passes and he gives it a quick glance. "Nice job sweetheart."

My day drags on and I can't seem to concentrate, I keep picturing the boy in the rain. I don't know why but his intense gaze is burned into the back of eyelids and no matter how much I try not to think about it I can't seem to stop myself. Who is he? What is he doing here?

"I'm so ready for this day to be over." I say to Rue through the thick bite of apple in my mouth as we sit down in the small cafeteria.

"Why? We have dinner duty tonight," Rue reminds me.

"Ugh, wonderful!" I examine the limp piece of lettuce and cheese in my sandwich and I look over to comment to Rue on why they didn't bother putting some meat in there when I see him.

Haymitch helps him through the lunch line and then leads him to a chair. The boy sits down heavily. I can see Haymitch talking but the boy doesn't seem to say anything in return. He keeps his eyes on his plate. He seems so downcast, so completely sad and lost. I shake myself mentally. We are all sad hopeless cases, that's why we end up here, I admonish.

"Is that him?" Rue leans in and whispers to me. I simply nod because I can't seem to pull my eyes off him. The boy looks up from his plate and turns his head to stare directly at me. His eyes are blue and his gaze is intense. I know he's caught me looking but I still can't look away.

"Katniss?" I hear Rue question. "He's looking at you" she whispers.

"Nah" I tell her. But Haymitch looks at the boy and then follows his stare right to me. Haymitch offers me a smile and a nod. I nod in return and immediately drop my gaze to my tray.

"He so was. And wow. You weren't kidding when you said he was cute" she says as she finishes off her carton of milk.

"I didn't say he was cute" I whisper back. I follow Rue to clean off our trays and then push them into the wash room. At least I'm not on dish duty this week I think to myself. I'm about to follow Rue out the door when I chance a glance back. My grey eyes immediately meet his intense blue ones as he gazes back at me.

Who are you? I think to myself.