This story is for Amazinglovers747 whose prompt imagine a barrel racing Katniss...thank you for the amazing pictures...
The melodic chords of the Rolling Stones, Wild Horses, played on the stereo of Peeta Mellark's restored 66 Shelby Mustang. The song reminded him of his ex-wife the girl that got away. The girl he loved so deeply that she had the ability to make a burnt out match come back to life. Peeta revved the Shelby engine of the GT350, it growled to life as it pounded the pavement as he drew closer and closer to the little town called the Seem. Oddly enough their small town was close to its rival sister Roswell, New Mexico.
As a kid, he and his neighbor Delly Cartwright used to stay up hours upon hours looking up into the sky for aliens. Delly thought aliens were real and that they lived amongst them. Peeta just loved looking at the night sky, there was nothing more beautiful than the orange glow of the sunset over the desert.
In all, it wasn't a bad childhood except for his mother who was abusive. As he got older her physical abuse became verbal. His mother made Peeta feel as if he wasn't good enough. Years later he learned his insecurities stemmed from his mother and it impacted his marriage. At the time when he married Katniss, he thought he had gotten over the slump, gotten over what he endured at the hands of his mother.
Peeta closed his eyes and imagined Katniss, the way he had seen her when they had first met. She was a vision standing in the desert with beautiful dark skin, long dark silky hair, standing proudly in the middle of a sunset, the wind sifting through her locks. Her gray eyes staring at him with a fiercely determined look, it was a sight he could never forget.
Katniss was a Vaquera, rode in the rodeo. She even rode wild broncos. He had a picture of her in his pocket barrel racing. He carried that picture for the last four years while he was away in the army and throughout his recovery. An IED exploded near him and took his leg. He spent the past year learning how to walk how to stand, while repairing this car. This was his salvation, he brought this car back to life much the way the doctors in the Capitol V.A. hospital brought him back to life.
His psychiatrist Dr. A, finally allowed him to go out into the real world. Peeta was still committed to his well being and had been skyping or facetiming with the good doctor on a daily basis. With a second lease on life, Peeta decided that it was time for him to go home and to face the demons he had run away from.
The lyrics Mick Jagger sang were poignant, "You know I can't let you slide through my hands."
Peeta ran his hands through his blond hair, thinking about the past. They were kids, foolish, children pretending to be adults. They were so in love. Well, Peeta was, he wasn't sure about Katniss, whether or not she was in love with him and that drove his insecurities.
For Peeta, his love had begun as a child. He marveled over the little girl with the angelic voice and yet the ability to ride horses quicker with more agility than anyone else. She was a champion. He was in awe of her skills when she rode wild horses in the rodeo. Her skill was unparalleled, he still didn't comprehend how she was able to stay on animal's that could easily toss her and trample her.
He knew it began as fun but when her father became and succumbed to cancer the horse ranch was in trouble because of the medical debts. It was up to Katniss to make her Father's dream a reality and feed her family. She began to take her rodeo competitions seriously and became quite a star.
Peeta was infatuated with Katniss and when they got together and hastily married he thought their union would last a lifetime. But then, doubt crept in, in the form of a six-foot-tall lanky cowboy named Gale Hawthorne.
He remembered the moment his life came to an end.
Four Years Ago:
It was hot outside Peeta sat in the stands watching Katniss and her horse Lady ride around the barrels. Katniss had fared well in the breakaway calf roping, tie-down calf roping, team roping, bareback bronc riding and bull riding. If she rode clean she would win the competition, so far the other barrel riders had knocked over one or more of the barrels. The crowds cheered her on.
Peeta traveled all the way to Oklahoma, to see her compete. They'd been fighting. Gale had joined the group of rodeo performers and competitors who traveled the rodeo circuit. Peeta couldn't go with Katniss all of the time as he worked in his parent's bakery and he stayed home with her sister and her mother.
When she came home all of Katniss stories became more and more about Gale. For weeks on end it was Gale was funny, smart, and clever. At first, Peeta thought it was a woman, but then the man came to their home all gussied up wanting to see Katniss. He had flowers in his hands, all of Peeta's insecurities surfaced like a surface to air missile shot from a submarine. He learned from Rue a fellow competitor Gale was a clown. He was always around Katniss, they traveled together, they were thick as thieves.
They fought and Katniss swore there wasn't anything going on between them. Peeta wasn't sure but from then on things became strained between them. In the bakery, his mother taunted, told him Katniss was a dirt farmer and cheating on him because he wasn't man enough. His mother laughed at his face every day.
The last thing she had told him was that no one needed him.
Her sister Prim suggested he go to see her. So here he sat in the hot sun watching his wife. Suddenly Lady became spooked and Katniss was thrown from the horse. She'd nearly been trampled and the clown Gale rescued her. Peeta rushed forward but no one recognized him as her husband as she competed as Katniss Everdeen.
When he finally was let into the hospital, he saw Gale, the way he held Katniss hand and his mother's words came back to haunt him. No one needed him. Peeta walked away broken. He ended up in a bar and when he woke up he was on a base. It was an easy out. He disappeared like a coward because no one needed him. Katniss had Gale, her family and he had no one.
Present:
The song blared, Mick Jagger's voice sang, 'No Sweeping Exits…' as he passed by the battered sign of his childhood home. It read 'The Seam Population 785'.
Peeta had thrown himself into his military career taking every dangerous mission possible until he met that IUD. All he wanted was for some closure, even if that meant coming face to face with Katniss in Gale's arms.
Just the thought of him caused Peeta to gripped the steering wheel harder. He breathed in and exhaled deeply relaxing himself. One of the ways he calmed down his PTSD.
He veered away from town toward a road less traveled. All around him he saw dry barren land, it transformed into an oasis of green, above the sign read 'Everdeen Ranch.'
Peeta drove up to the sprawling main house. He once more gripped the steering wheel. He breathed in the hot dry air, before finally gaining enough composure to get out. He stood by his car, everything within him told him to get back in the car and run away. He rubbed his sweaty palm against his jeans.
It was then he saw her standing feet away from him. Just like the first time they'd met. He nervously removed his baseball cap. He jammed his hand through his damp curly hair when he felt a tap on his shoulder. One moment he was standing the next he saw a fist coming at him, and a shout, "PRIM!"
Everything went dark after that. When he finally came through he momentarily forgot where he was and came awake with a silent scream. The last time that had happened he awoke in a field hospital with no leg.
It was then he smelled the unmistakable smell of flaxseed and coconut oil. It was a mixture Katniss preferred to use for the leather saddles. He calmed down immediately. Sitting up he found his prosthetic was missing, along with his pants and shirt were missing. Thankfully he had on his boxers. He scratched his head as he saw it was nearly six. He was out for over an hour. Then he heard the loud voices coming from the other side of the door.
"Prim you shouldn't have hit him."
"You know it's what you wanted to do, Katniss," Prim answered back with a great deal of sass.
Peeta touched his jawline. He'd gotten into a few fights while in the military and he'd never blacked out. Prim had the fist of lead.
"Primrose Everdeen, you've been spending far too much time with Johanna." Katniss scolded.
"He left you, Katniss, without a word. Six months later sends you divorce papers from a P.O. Box that belonged to a crazy divorce lawyer. And has the audacity to show up now four years later."
"I know Prim. I know." Katniss voice sounded weak.
There was a pause as if both were deep in thought.
"I wonder how he lost his legs?" Prim mused.
"He has dog tags." Another voice joined them. Peeta recognized Mrs. Everdeen. "Now girls if you don't mind I'm going to attend to my patient."
The door opened and there stood the tribe of fierce Amazon women known as the Everdeens.
Prim was taller than Katniss. Four years ago she was only fourteen, a sweet young girl. Today she was now eighteen and had perfected that legendary Everdeen scowl and it was directed at him.
Mrs. Everdeen didn't look any older except for the few Gray hairs that were starting to come in at her temples. Her smile was soft and she had a tray in her hand. Katniss, however, stood defensively her arms crossed around her middle, her stare hard, and her lips were thinned. Peeta anticipated this reaction from her.
Mrs. Everdeen settled the tray on the bedside table. She helped him sit up before handing Peeta a cup. "Here drink this, you're dehydrated. And by the looks of it, you haven't slept in some time."
Peeta forgot Mrs. Everdeen was a trained nurse. She was the first line of medical defense out here in the middle of the desert.
"Thank you," Peeta said. He was waiting for the barrage of questions.
The first one to burst and stomp on the elephant in the room was Prim. "So, where have you been all this time?"
"In the army. Not sure I'm at liberty to say exactly where I was stationed." Peeta shrugged.
"Is that how?" Katniss glanced at his missing leg.
"Yeah." Peeta noticed how thick and gravelly his voice sounded. He was a kid when he left and now he was a man. He glanced up and his blue eyes collided with her gray worried ones. He cleared his throat. "It took me a year to recover, to feel somewhat normal."
"What do you want?" Prim narrowed her eyes at him.
"Prim!" Mrs. Everdeen admonished.
Peeta couldn't stop staring at Katniss. She looked so amazing, her cheeks were tinged a deep wine color. He tore his eyes away and drank the contents of his cup.
"Spill Mellark," Prim rivaled the toughest military interrogator, "What are you doing here?"
Peeta opened his mouth to speak but Mrs. Everdeen grabbed Prim by the arm.
"Alright, that is enough of you, young lady. Go clean up so you can start making dinner."
"But, MOM," Prim whined.
"Do not use that tone of voice with me Primrose Everdeen. This is none of your business. This is your sister's dilemma and she will have to deal with it as an adult." Mrs. Everdeen said closing the door behind on Katniss and Peeta.
"Prim told me you'd left here to see me. Imagine waking up…" Katniss stopped speaking. She glanced to the floor.
Words were never her thing. Katniss had always been someone who leaped into action before she waxed poetically.
"I was there."
His three words caused her head to spring back up. "What?"
"They wouldn't let me see you." Peeta rubbed his face as memories rolled in like a thick murky fog covering the ground. "They wouldn't let me go through the crowd into the arena. They didn't know I was your husband. I stood by and watched as Gale was allowed to go with you to the hospital. When I got there I saw him holding your hand in the ER. It was the way he held you, the way he looked at you, I knew…" Peeta became choked up. He looked away momentarily to gain his composure. "I came back to say sorry, for treating you badly. For not being your friend. Hoping we can be friends again one day."
He looked up to see Katniss glaring at him with her mouth opened.
"Okay," Peeta muttered knowing his time was coming to an end. "If you can direct me to my leg and my clothing. I'll be going."
"Why?"
He glanced at her and he couldn't read her face.
"You and I both know there should never be two cocks in the hen house."
Katniss frowned.
"Katniss." Peeta wasn't sure what was going on inside of her. It frightened him and it turned him on. For four years he had been celibate. While in rehabilitation his sex drive died altogether. He could feel himself hardening and he bunched the sheets up around him.
"No!" Katniss shook her head.
"No," he repeated dumbfounded. This was not going the way he had imagined it in the sessions with the doctor. Peeta wasn't quite sure how to respond.
"You don't get to walk out on me again Peeta Mellark!" Katniss walked to the closet, pried the doors open, and grabbed a pink glossy robe and crutches.
It took him a millisecond to realize what he had in his hands before he noticed she was leaving. "Katniss," he called out. "Katniss, wait, don't do this…" It was too late she slammed the door.
Peeta sighed heavily. He said into the empty room, "This is definitely not the way I expected it to go."
As he slipped on the robe he frowned at the color. Katniss hated pink. He thought perhaps she'd bought this to wear for Gale. The thought grossed him out. But he didn't have a choice. He couldn't very well walk around naked in another man's home. Taking the crutches he hobbled out of the room.
He was thankful he was on the first floor and not on the second or else he wouldn't be able to get to where he wanted. Peeta made his way to the kitchen. He needed to leave as soon as possible and the one person who could help him was Prim.
As he neared the kitchen he heard Katniss and Prim talking. This time it was Katniss that sounded emotional.
"Why am I so stupid?"
"Katniss you still…" Prim said.
"Don't say it, Prim! Don't you dare say it."
"Kat, he's still wearing his ring."
Peeta looked at his hand. It was true he had never taken off his ring. Even now as he was trying to say goodbye he couldn't take his ring off.
Katniss made a frustrated sound right before he heard the back porch door slam.
"Now I know why mother never remarried," Prim muttered loud enough for Peeta to hear.
"Have you really come to say goodbye?"
Peeta turned his head to see Mrs. Everdeen standing by the stairwell. He opened his mouth but nothing came out. There was a time when he had use of all of the words in the world, but not after leaving her, not after the IUD. It was as if his mind was cloudy, things didn't make sense at times and he struggled with finding who he was. He was like the song he'd been listening to in the car. His faith was broken.
"I came to apologize," Peeta said.
Mrs. Everdeen walked up to him. She put her hands on his shoulders. "When you and my daughter eloped, I was furious because you were both so young. When you left I thought good riddance. I was wrong Peeta, you and Katniss need each other."
"But, we're divorced and she's with Gale."
Mrs. Everdeen chuckled, "Look around you Peeta do you see another man here?"
Peeta looked around the room, there weren't any pictures of Gale, there were pictures of Prim, pictures of the Everdeens, and pictures of him. His heart began to pound in his chest.
"Fight for her, Peeta, she still loves you."
Tears, beautiful, wonderful tears fell from his eyes as his heart and being were filled with the love he carried for Katniss all of these years. He maneuvered outside, he knew exactly where to find her.
"Where is he going dressed up like that?" Prim asked as Peeta opened up his car door.
"I'm getting my life back," Peeta shouted as he turned on the car. The amputee pedals and gears he put in his car helped him rev up the powerful motor. Peeta drove off into the direction of the sunset until he found the spot where he had met Katniss that faithful afternoon. Wild Horses began playing again. Driven by the music he found himself at the spot. He came to a stop and saw her standing by her horse looking at the sunset.
He opened the door took the crutches and hobbled to her. She was staring at him. Peeta came to her, "I still love you Katniss Everdeen, I came here thinking you were with someone else, I came here thinking I had to have you in my life in some way shape or form. I've made a stupid mistake-"
He was cut off by her lips. Soft wonderful lips that caused his soul to jump to the moon and back. He groaned and cupped her face gently as she backed away.
The music played in the background much the way music played in those romantic movies. The chords of the guitar and the drums wrapped them in a cocoon.
"I love you too, Peeta. I never stopped." She showed him her hand, she too had her wedding band on. "I never signed the papers, I couldn't do it."
Peeta kissed her deeply, her hands clutched at his back. They stood there as the sunset gently into the background as Mick Jagger sang, "Wild horses couldn't drag me away. Wild, wild horses we'll ride them someday…"