Remember Me

"You ever embarass me like that again, God help us all," he left the threat to hang in the air for a few seconds before snatching her hair and yanking it towards the ground for good measure. But this wasn't Peeta, not the sweet Peeta she'd met years ago with the blonde hair and the blue eyes, oh no, he was long gone. Deep down inside, she knew he was the same person, but after the hijacking, he struggled to even stand next to her.

She'd been living in District 13 for several months now but they'd only rescued Peeta over the past fortnight. After being injected with a gallon of tracker-jacker venom, he'd freak out, scream and attempt to murder her, the one who months ago he said he loved, confessed to watching her walk home every night after school to make sure she was okay, and now he didn't care whether she lived or died, infact he probably preferred her gone.

"Peeta," she whispered, her voice shaky and scared. "I'm sorry, can we go and see Gale, Beetee said he has another drink for you to try, to help you get better." This wasn't a lie, Katniss knew that Beetee would have something to give to him, but she really wanted to see Gale. He wouldn't hurt her around Gale. Never. He didn't want to lose her. Not really.

"Fine, but not because you want to," he hissed, his words dripping with venom, his face showing only pure hatred, nothing underneath. She began to wonder whether it was all pointless. He'd never be better, no, he would, but he'd kill her first. Trained, trained like a mutt, to kill on target but Peeta, he was strong, the old Peeta was fighting the new, that was the only reason she was still alive. Love only lasted so long, and the battle would end, and so would her life.

"Gale. It's Katniss, um, could I speak to Beetee?" She spoke into a single walkie-talkie Beetee had supplied her with. For contact. Not emergencies. He'd made that very clear, that if something were to happen, something terrible, to turn off the walkie-talkie and use her earpiece. If things got too bad, she was to use her nightlock, which was located in her right arm sleeve, near her shoulder. But if he got there first, God help us all.

"Sure Catnip in a few minutes, he's just busy that's all. Why, what's up?" She scratched the back of her neck, nervously. His eyes burnt through her skull, the eyes that once upon a time melted her heart and made her knees cave in, but now made her sweat and stutter.

"Erm, you know that drink, the one to make Peeta better? Well, do you have another one? Like a new one? For him now?" Seconds later, Gale spoke, his soft lips dry and unforgiving.

"Is he with you now? Is that why you're asking?" But he heard. Peeta heard. Gale's voice was too loud. Storm, the only word to describe his next actions. Words were said, horrible words and before she realised, Katniss was on the floor, clutching her stomach. Peeta? Oh, he was running towards Gale and nothing, not even Boggs, nor Finnick, could stop him now.

.

"Why'd she lie to me? And why are you so involved in her life?" He spat. It was an obvious question with an even more obvious answer but Gale didn't want to drop Katniss into a never-ending spiral, so he simply said,

"I'm her cousin."

"But, you...but...you don't look alike." Gesturing to his eyes, Gale nodded.

"We aren't technically, one hundred percent related, I'm her dad's sister's son. So we don't look alike for that reason." He knew what he'd done. He knew he'd lied, he knew he'd be punished, he knew it'd probably cause more problems than it would solve, but he didn't care. It would get him and Katniss out of trouble for the time-being and that was all that matters.

"But you still haven't explained why she lied to me," Gale stood up tall, he was at least inches bigger than Peeta and knowing that made him less scared, infact he wasn't scared at all. Not anymore.

"Because she's scared of you, unlike me." He was asking for trouble, he knew that aswell, but he wasn't anticipating the mighty punch delivered to his face sending him spinning.

"Just leave us alone, alright? Katniss and I are fine, she's just...hard to love."

"Hard to love? Peeta, I've loved h-" He stopped talking, but Peeta was eager for him to go on.

"What? Oh, do carry on."

"I've loved her ever since I laid eyes on her the day we met, when we were hunting back in District 12." He whispered, disgusted with himself.

"I knew you weren't cousins, I knew it. How could you be! She loves you too much. You're all she talks about."

"Is that why you hit her? Because she loves me." He taunted, feeling better than before. The bruises on her face, the cuts up her arms and down her back could only be caused by one thing. Peeta. Katniss trusted Gale, along with Finnick of course, he had known her for a while at least, they'd kept each other alive. Peeta had done the same but look at him now.

"Peeta, I'm sorry," Katniss begged as she ran towards us. "Please forgive me." This wasn't like Katniss, she wasn't one to beg and plead for forgiveness and love, especially not from Peeta, it never worked like that. Katniss was tougher, stubborn and, I guess you could say, worthy. Gale had never thought of her as one to want someone's forgiveness, nevermind beg for it.

"Shut up!" He yelled, shaking the ground beneath them. Then, suddenly, his hands searched for his head and he screamed out in pain. The venom, it was hurting him, he wouldn't be able to fight it for much longer. 'Not like he was doing a good job anyways.' Gale thought viciously.

"BEETEE! Beetee, come quick, it's Peeta, he's in bad condition." After a few moments of explaining, Gale had prompted Beetee to come back.

"Whoa. He's gonna need this." He mumbled forcing a form of liquid down Peeta's throat.

"It's not working!" Katniss shrieked, pain radiating from her voice. Noone began to panic, Katniss sat down by his side, holding his hand.

"He's going to kill you, Catnip. Please, move." She shook her head, sitting up and straightening her back. They tried to move her, they really did, but she wouldn't budge.

.

He was still sat there, holding his head, as he had been for over an hour. Then, he let out an almighty shout and fell to the floor.

"Peeta! You can't die, come on!" She performed CPR until her face turned red, long after Beetee had left. Gale stayed but not for long. Then it hit her, it was mysteriously like their visit to District 2. When the Capitol bombed the Rebels' hospital, Katniss wouldn't leave, but Gale dragged her away. You see, he was a miner. Miners don't leave a scene until they're sure it is absolutely hopeless. Gale had left, so had Beetee. All Katniss could do was scream. She screamed and screamed until her voice gave up.

"The nightlock." she thought, reaching into her pocket. She didn't find the nightlock, but she found a note. She held it close, examining the writing, Peeta had wrote it that was for sure. She was scared to open it, her fingers fiddling with the envelope, but eventually it opened infront of her.

Katniss,

I love you. You're my angel, even when I was hijacked, you believed in me. You stuck with me. I'm not better, I know, but you're helping me get there. I'm sorry for beating you. You saved me, my darling. Don't forget me, but move on and be happy. Be happy with Gale. Or whoever you like, I want to watch you be happy. I know the end is near, and if you're reading this, you must've resorted to the nightlock. You saved me from that, too. So now, I'm saving you. I took your nightlock with me. Hid it somewhere. You can't die, Katniss. You're the mockingjay, the girl on fire, the 74th Hunger Games victor, but most of all, the love of my life. Look up to the sky, my love, and think of me, now. I did this for you, I did this for us, I don't want to watch you upset, I know it will hurt you but it will get better. I promise. Until then, remember me.

Peeta x