Together
Katniss jolted up in bed. She was covered in sweat, and shaking violently. Beside her, Peeta turned in his sleep, but didn't wake up. Katniss sat up and pulled her shaking knees to her chest. Her heart thudded in her chest. Ever since the reaping for the Quarter Quell, Katniss had been plagued with recurring nightmares. the fighting, the killing, not knowing if Peeta would make it out alive. If she would make it out alive. Katniss swung her legs over the bed, her breathing harsh and ragged. She stood up quietly, trying not to wake Peeta. He turned again, his head facing away from him. Katniss wrapped a thin robe around her body, and walked down the hall.
Standing on the balcony, she stared up at the starless sky. Her breath billowed out in front of her. Winter was winding down, but an icy chill still gripped Panem. Katniss gripped her thin body tighter. She felt so empty inside. After all they'd been through, now she and Peeta were being thrown right back into a fight. A battle for their lives. Katniss pounded her fist against the wall of the balcony. Everyone expected her to be brave, and win the fight again. She couldn't. She couldn't do it again. She lifted her head. She wouldn't. Not again. "I'll show them they don't own me" she vowed, now knowing what her decision would be. She turned, and gasped in surprise. Peeta was standing in the doorway. "Couldn't sleep?" He questioned quietly, walking over to her, and wrapping his arms around her. "You know I can't. Not knowing that we..." She didn't need to finish her sentence. They both knew what would happen in a few short weeks. "We'll make it through Katniss, just like we did before. Together" he whispered. Katniss shook her head, and pushed away from him. She walked back inside.
Walking into the kitchen, she opened the small cabinet. Inside was a variety of medicines. Katniss reached through to the back of the cabinet, and pulled out a small vial. Inside was two small dark purple pills. She unscrewed the lid, but just as she was about to shake out one of the pills, Peeta rushed in, and knocked the bottle out of her hands. It landed on the table, but didn't shatter. "Katniss what are you doing?!" he shouted, pinning her hands against the wall. The look of anger in her face melted away, and tears began streaming from her gray eyes. "I can't take it again Peeta, I just can't. I'm not strong enough to look death in the face again, to have to kill all those people...", "To risk losing you again" she added quietly. "My mom is gone. Prim is gone. Everyone else I've ever loved is gone. You're the only person I have left". Peeta focused his eyes on hers, "Katniss we've done it before, we can do it...". " No Peeta. Only one of us is going to live through this, you know they won't let both of us walk out of that arena alive. Not again". Peeta held her, and that's when he noticed how thin she'd gotten. She looked so torn and broken. Katniss gripped Peeta tight and whispered, "I want to show them that they don't own me". " And you think this is the only way?" he replied softly. They held each other in silence.
Peeta squeezed her tighter, then picked the vile up off the table. Katniss looked up in surprise. "Your right Katniss" he said, remembering when he told her those same words; the night before the 74th Hunger Games. He opened the lid, and shook out the pills. "We do this like we've done everything. Together". "Peeta" Katniss exclaimed. They held each other closer, trying to take in every fiber of their love in their last moments. Peeta loosened his grip, and gently tilted her head back. He placed his lips onto hers, and they shared a last, passionate kiss. After a moment, they drew apart, and Peeta held out the pills in his hand. Katniss took one, and they placed the pills on their tongues. "Together" she whispered, and they both swallowed. Peeta gripped Katniss, and in an instant, they both collapsed. The glass vile fell from Peeta's hands, and shattered as it crashed to the ground. Silence surrounded the two star-crossed lovers. Two hearts stopped beating. Together.