DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own the Hunger Games trilogy in any way, shape or form! I'm just a huge fan. Of course, I wrote this fan-fiction myself - but the characters and trilogy belong to Suzanne Collins (obviously).

Author's Note: Hello everyone. This is my first fan-fiction - ever. So try not to be harsh on me - but constructive criticism would be helpful! I don't write fan-fictions much - I usually role-play on another website based on The Hunger Games, as main characters. If you don't know what that is and want to find out, please check out my profile! And if you want to role-play with me, check it out, too! More information on it is written on my profile! This fan-fiction was written out of boredom one night. Hope you enjoy! Please review! Thank you so much!

(Katniss' P.O.V.)

It's been 4 weeks since I managed to slip out of the arena with Peeta - at first, I thought our nightlock stunt was ingenious - a way to keep Peeta alive, as well as myself. Though soon after I came out of the arena with him, I realized some of the repercussions of my actions. Seneca Crane was executed for sparing our lives. My family and Gale could even be in danger if it progresses further. I have to keep putting on an act, and it has to look realistic.

I'm not sure if I love him the way he loves me. I do care about Peeta - I just can't bring myself to think of him in that way. I have always been an independent soul - my father raised me that way. Of course, I know if he was alive, he'd probably be pushing me to find a man to marry. But he's not. I never want to get married - marriage leads to love, which usually leads to children - a very bad idea for a victor who is on the capitol's bad side. Peeta and myself have been pre-occupied with the pointless interviews scheduled for us. We may not agree on many things, but we're sure of one thing - they're annoying and time consuming.

After the train rides back and forth to the capitol, we had the victory tour: Peeta and I were forced to visit each district to face the families and friends of the tributes we either knew or killed. Districts 8, 10, and 11 thoroughly enjoyed us - and our own district, of course. Then, it hits me: District 11. Rue's family is dead because of me - because of my love for Rue. I try to push that thought out of my head - that old man probably would have died an even more horrific death then the peacekeepers caused him. He was frail and skinny - about ready to die of starvation as it was.

Right now, we're sitting on the train heading back to our district. Me and Peeta are, at least. Haymitch has to attend some farewell ceremony for mentors who are no longer expected to mentor tributes. To Haymitch, it's quite relieving. It means he can suffer in silence without being reminded of the games - or at least assisting in 2 tribute's deaths each year.

As we step off of the train together, the crowds of people seemed to have disappeared - it's too late for them to be out - they're probably all sleeping. Peeta smiles over at me and squeezes my hand. "We're home..." He stated. His face had a painstaking expression written on it - probably from the disappointment of my words while on the victory tour. I had to remind Peeta that I was still acting - he looked upset, though he didn't dare show it in actions. That made me feel guilty - at least more than I already felt. Not only was I responsible for 22 deaths in an arena, but I was responsible for breaking Peeta's heart. Our prep teams seemed to have agreed to let us suffer in peace for a week. Lucky for me, that means I might be able to sneak off with Gale in the woods, like usual. I keep wondering what he'll say - will he be happy for me? Angry? I don't understand exactly why he'd be angry, but who knows - maybe he witnessed something I did in the arena that would be unforgivable in his mind.

As I wonder off towards Victor's Village with Peeta, we stroll hand in hand past the merchant and seam assigned housing - and to our surprise, we see a few people glancing at us. Mostly children - they all had wide eyes, as if they had seen a ghost. I snorted. "What are they staring at?" I asked Peeta. He smiled and kissed my forehead lovingly. "Just your beauty." I rolled my eyes and laughed. "You're so full of it." I stated. He laughed at my words, and then locked gazes with me. He looked at me the same way he did in the arena - his eyes were filled with love, but fear. What was he afraid of? I didn't dare ask. Soon after my thoughts, Peeta spoke to my relief. "Do you think we can sleep next to each other? Nothing sexual, of course. Just for comfort." He stated. I sighed in relief, and nodded. "I was hoping you'd speak up." I stated. "Let's get to our house first. Then we'll talk." I said, with a soft smile. He nodded. "Alright."

Eventually, we managed to walk our way into our new street - the houses are ridiculously beautiful - obviously capitol creations. Nothing built by the citizens could ever be this beautiful. Peeta and I had 2 houses - both 3 story mansions with unbelievably luxurious furnishings and materials - even artwork painted beautifully - it all looked expensive. Of course it was - it's from the capitol. "Yours are better." I stated, as Peeta ran his fingers over the unknown pieces of art - paintings in particular. He smiled at me. "Really?" I nodded. "Why wouldn't they be? These are just shapes and colors - your paintings and creations all have meaning." I stated. Peeta smiled at me. He looked like he was about to say something to me, but someone cut him off short. "Katniss?!" A high-pitched, feminine voice spoke up. I looked further into the house - in the kitchen. "Prim?" I stated. Prim was standing there, nearly in tears. She began to cry, which caused me to cry along with her. We embraced for a long minute, re-uniting for the first time since the arena.

"I missed you..." She managed to speak out, cutting off each word short as she continued to sob. Her hair looked much shorter now - well-cut, too. "I missed you too, little duck." I said with a smile on my face, still in tears. After embracing her for a minute, my mother smiled and hugged me. She looked lost for words. "Thank you..." She whispered out to me. That's when she began to hug me. She sounded like she was holding back tears, too. "Don't thank me - I don't deserve it." I stated. I really don't. I killed several people - and, on top of that, ripped out Peeta's heart. My mother just nodded, and gave me a faint smile. "Your father would be proud." She stated.

My father. I wonder what he'd do if he were alive? If I had to take a wild guess, he wouldn't be alive now. He would have been executed after the reaping for murder - probably one of the peacekeepers or capitol citizens. I know my father - if he were alive, he'd be willing to die for me, just as I was for Prim. He already did. He died for both of us - and my mother - in the mines. When I was too young to hunt, he used his mining paycheck to pay for enough food for all of us - and hunted himself, of course.

"Thanks..." I said to my mother. She nodded. Right after I turn around, I see some of Peeta's brothers greeting him for the first time since the arena. They look happy, but nowhere near as happy as Prim was. His father was there, too - but his mother was nowhere to be found. Neither of us really expected her to. Mrs. Mellark never really did get along with Peeta - she hated me even more. To her, I was that skinny little 'seam-slut' who dug throughout their garbage cans on several occasions for food. I was also the reason Peeta burnt bread on several occasions - she didn't know that up until watching the games when he admitted it. She had to think her son was a horrible cook - but he wasn't. He just had a heart.

I smile and look at Peeta's brothers. On the way back to our District, Peeta opened up to me about his family, as I did about my own. He seemed to already know just about everything about my family as it was - though I was still completely clueless about what his was like - other then his mother. No one liked Mrs. Mellark. Even Mr. Mellark complained about his wife, and often apologized on her behalf. He has 2 younger siblings, and one older. All men, of course, who looked almost exactly like Peeta. They didn't really speak to me - they seemed to whisper towards Peeta and nod as they glanced
over at me. It was almost strange.

Someone grabbed my shoulder from behind, which caused me to jump a bit. It was Hazelle - she jumped back, too - scared to see my reaction. I sighed in relief and apologized. "I'm so sorry - I'm just - not myself right now." I stated. She nodded with a fake smile. ''It's quite alright, dear." After seeing her in my house, I hugged her kindly, and smiled back at her sincerely. "Are you hungry?" I asked politely. She shook her head with an equally sincere smile. "I'm fine - your mother's been cooking Rory's game meat." She stated. I arched a brow. "Wait - Rory's hunting now? Why isn't Gale doing it?" I questioned. She looked as if she was holding back tears. That caused me to panic. Was Gale alive? Healthy? "What happened?" I questioned, my voice a bit shaky. She shook her head with a sigh. "Gale picked up a job in the mines."